Distribution, biosynthesis, laboratory synthesis, and therapeutic potential of derrone: A narrative review

Derrone is a naturally occurring pyranoisoflavone, first isolated from the seeds of Derris robusta (Roxb. ex DC.) Benth. of the family Fabaceae, and subsequently reported from several additional species, predominantly within the Fabaceae and Moraceae families. This narrative review provides an overview of derrone, including its distribution across the plant kingdom, biosynthetic origin, laboratory synthesis, and documented bioactivities relevant to its potential therapeutic applications. Peer-reviewed publications on derrone published to date, excluding any doctoral theses or conference abstracts, were examined. Relevant information was obtained from various databases, including Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar, using “derrone” as the sole keyword. Published studies have reported the antidiabetic, antifibrotic, antimicrobial, antiplatelet, antithrombotic, antitumour, cytotoxic/anticancer, hepatoprotective, and anti-HIV-1 properties of derrone, with the most therapeutically significant evidence relating to its anticancer, antidiabetic, antiplatelet, and antitumour properties. Nevertheless, further rigorous investigations are required to substantiate the therapeutic potential of derrone in human diseases.