Psiloxylon mauritianum (Bouton ex Hook.f.) Baillon (Myrtaceae): A promising traditional medicinal plant from the Mascarene Islands

Psiloxylon mauritianum (PM) (Bouton ex Hook.f.) Baillon (Myrtaceae) is an evergreen endemic medicinal plant which has shown promising uses in traditional medicine from the Mascarene Islands (Mauritius and Réunion Islands). Folk use of this endemic plant in Mauritius and Réunion Islands has been geared toward the treatment and management of amenorrhea, dysentery and Type II diabetes mellitus. Recent findings from in vitro studies have led to the discovery of two potent acids namely corosolic acid and asiatic acid which have been shown to bear most inhibitory activities against Staphylococcus aureus. Such findings tend to appraise the therapeutic potential of this medicinal plant against infectious diseases. The present monograph has tried to establish the botanical description, traditional uses and the main constituents identified from PM (Bouton ex Hook.f.) Baillon. The limited documentation of in vitro assays of this plant demonstrates an urgent need for extensive research in order to validate other traditional uses and hence open new avenues for drug development.