Abstract
Chromene (benzopyrans) is one of the privileged scaffold molecules that are
widely distributed in natural products and possesses a wide variety of pharmacological
activities such as anticoagulant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmolytic,
antitumor, antihepatotoxic, diuretic, estrogenic, antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial,
anthelminthic, anti-HIV, antitubercular, herbicidal, anticonvulsant and analgesic. Their
low toxicity combined with their broad pharmacological properties has inspired
researchers to obtain new chromenes and derivatives possessing considerable
pharmacological action. The present review article attempts to summarize the natural
source of chromene and its derivatives along with updated knowledge on its biological
activities.