Rhamnetin: a review of its pharmacology and toxicity

Abstract Objectives Numerous natural products, including rhamnetin, have been studied in recent years owing to the need for new herbal remedies to treat different illnesses. This study aimed to review the salient properties of rhamnetin and its pharmacological potential and possible toxicological effects. Key findings A search carried out in the ScienceDirect database using the term ‘rhamnetin’ yielded 573 articles published between 1977 and 2021. However, only those studies that mentioned pharmacological activity of rhamnetin were included in this study. As a result of this selection process, this study included reports that describe rhamnetin as a secondary metabolite with several pharmacological properties. Summary Rhamnetin (2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5-dihydroxy-7-methoxychromen-4-one) is a secondary metabolite, belonging to the flavonoid class, present in various plants and fruits; it has different pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial activity. However, conclusive results on the toxicology of rhamnetin have not been reported yet. Therefore, further research is needed to gather detailed information about the effects of rhamnetin.