A systematic review on chemical composition and biological activities of cedar oils and extracts

The valorization of aromatic and medicinal plants is a vital research axis in the field of valorization and optimization of natural resources. Cedar is one of the most sought-after plants in the world due to the quality of its wood and its richness in bioactive molecules that can be used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and perfumery industries. Using keywords such as: Cedrusatlantica Manetti, Cedrusbrevifolia Henry, Cedrus deodara London,Cedruslibani London and Cedrusbrevifolia Henry, articles were collected from international scientific databases. The analysis of the abstracts of these articles by computer tools such as Zotero, Excel, and Nvivo allowed us to conclude that the chemical composition of cedar varies from one species to another and from one part of the plant to another and according to the harvesting environment. However, it is generally characterized by the dominance of terpenes. The latter is known to have antimicrobial properties, which explains the effectiveness of the oils and extracts of this plant against fungi and bacteria such as helicobacter pylori, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and important anticancer power.