Tanacetum species: Bridging empirical knowledge, phytochemistry, nutritional value, health benefits and clinical evidence

Introduction: The Tanacetum genus comprises 160 accepted flowering species distributed mainly across temperate regions in the Mediterranean Basin, North America, and Southwest/East Asia. Species have long-standing uses in folk medicine, traditional cuisines, cosmeceuticals, and agriculture. Methods: We systematically reviewed up-to-date data on traditional uses, phytochemistry, biological activities, toxicity, and clinical trials of Tanacetum using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SciFinder, Wiley Online, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library. Results and discussion: Over the last three decades, 241 metabolites have been isolated from nearly twenty species, spanning phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, fatty acids and alkanes, aldehydes, volatile compounds, and naphthoquinones. Unique metabolites include ceramides (tanacetamides A–D) from T. artemisioides, pyrethrins from T. cinerariifolium, and numerous sesquiterpene lactones. Despite promising in vitro activities (hypotensive, neuroprotective, anticancer, antimicrobial), these metabolites remain insufficiently studied. Scientific studies validate several traditional claims (antidiabetic, anticancer, anthelmintic, insecticidal, antioxidant, hepatoprotective; uses for festering wounds, skin ulcers, urinary tract and sexually transmitted infections). Other claims (arthritis, gout, rheumatism, anemia, litholytic, antivenom, diaphoretic) lack support and warrant further research.