Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl. (Olacaceae): current status and future prospects as an herbal plant

Abstract

Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl. traditionally used by the tribal community of ‘INDIA’ to heal conditions such as pain, psoriasis, mouth-ulcer, anemia, constipation as well as diabetes. Documented scientific shreds of evidence like antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-viral, anti-cancer, toxicity profile improved its medicinal value. Chromatographic evaluation (GC–MS) proven near about presence of 25 compounds. Among them, hexadecanoic methyl ester, β-sitosterol, phytol, methyl salicylate, 13-docosenamide, and oleanolic acid are significant and contribute to its successful medicinal properties. The toxicity study also revealed the safety of the consumption of the leaf part. Still, consecutive gaps need to be exploring to gather evidence of its contribution to curing different ailments, especially upon the ulcer, anemia, and identification of the presence of lead compounds as an upcoming future research proposal. The ‘Internet Scholar’, ‘Study Guide’, ‘PubMed’, ‘ScienceDirect’, ‘Scopus’, and ‘Sodhganga’ web site have been accessed to gather information about detailed scientific research as well as traditional information from authenticated sources that have been published in the English language. The various folklore claimed medicinal properties like anti-ulcer, aphthous ulcer, analgesic, anti-diabetic, anti-anemic, etc. yet to be justified scientifically with lead compounds that can support the rationality being used as folklore. This plant could be a good choice to explore its importance within the pharmacognostic field of drug development and might be a better source of herbal derived lead compounds which can help to heal ulcer or anemia that can effectively make a credible addition to treatment among the civilization as a natural source of therapeutic compounds.