The transformation of primary metabolites into secondary metabolites is a natural process that results in the formation of secondary metabolites, which are also referred to as natural products. Among the secondary metabolites that are highly isolated from the Guttiferae family, xanthone is one of the most significant ones. Rubraxanthone (1) is a xanthone that was successfully extracted from Guttiferae. The biological synthesis of this prenylated xanthone occurs through the shikimate pathway with L-phenylalanine as the precursor. It has been reported that rubraxanthone possesses a wide range of valuable biological activities, including antibacterial, anticancer and antiplatelet characteristics. This review emphasised the significance of rubraxanthone as a secondary metabolite in Guttiferae, identifying it as a potential compound in pharmaceutical, botany and chemistry with account its biological properties and future research pathway.
Keywords: Guttiferae; biological activities; rubraxanthone; synthesis; xanthones.
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