A Survey of the Anti-microbial Properties of Naturally Occurring Prenyloxyphenylpropanoids and Related Compounds.

O-Prenylphenylpropanoids represent a group of rare natural products. During the last twenty years such phytochemicals have been revealed to possess a great pharmacological potential. These compounds have been obtained for the most part from plant species of the Rutaceae, Apiaceae, and Fabaceae families, as well as from fungi and bacteria. In this review we wish to detail the state of the art about O-prenylphenylpropanoids having in vitro and in vivo anti-microbial properties from different points of view. The herein cited natural products are effective in inhibiting the virulence of human oral pathogens.