Abstract
Arundo donax L. (Giant reed) is a grass species belong to Poaceae family with a myriad of uses such as traditional and ethnomedicinal values, bioenergy, and socio-economic importance. The plant is used in conventional medicine to treat various disorders related to skin, gastrointestinal, skeletal, menstrual problems, respiratory and urinary diseases. The present review summarises the scattered information on socio-economic importance, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological aspects of this plant. We conducted a rigorous literature survey using databases such as Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed entering keywords like A. donax, Giant reed, and Spanish reed, etc. Phytochemical investigations have identified several alkaloids, terpenoids, sterols, phenolics, and lignin derivatives. The isolated phytoconstituents are reported to exhibit multiple pharmacological activities such as anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-spasmolytic, and also used to treat helminthic infestations in cattle. However, the scientific validity of traditional practices to cure various diseases has not been correctly evaluated yet. Therefore, it is recommended to further investigate the plant for clinical trials to unleash its therapeutic importance towards chemical characterisation for drug discovery and development in the pharmacological field.
Highlights
Arundo donax L. (Giant reed) is a perennial and rhizomatous plant that belongs to the Poaceae family and one of the most widespread species of the genus Arundo
A lectin isolated from the rhizome of Giant reed is reported to have anti-tumorous properties [19]
This review hopefully will provide baseline information for other researchers who intend to work on this plant
Summary
Arundo donax L. (Giant reed) is a perennial and rhizomatous plant that belongs to the Poaceae family and one of the most widespread species of the genus Arundo. The plant possesses several medicinal properties, and has traditionally been used by several ethnic groups across the world to cure various ailments. Local Amchi people (herbalist) in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh use a decoction of the roots to cure cancer [9]. Ethnic Albanian people in Italy use the internal stem membrane of this plant to arrest bleeding [12,13]. Apart from this, the plant possesses socio-economic importance as different ethnic groups use its strong stem and leaf to make rooftops, thatches, basket, and ropes [6]. A lectin isolated from the rhizome of Giant reed is reported to have anti-tumorous properties [19]. The present study aimed to summarize the existing knowledge of ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological aspects of A. donax L. This review hopefully will provide baseline information for other researchers who intend to work on this plant
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