Pharmacological activities ofBoerhaavia diffusa: A Review

Abstract

Boerhaavia diffusa is one of the renowned medicinal plants used to treat large number of human ailments as mentioned in Ayurveda, Charaka Samhita, and Sushrita Samhita. The Plant in whole or its peculiar parts have a numerous medicinal properties and are used by endemic and tribal people in India and Unani medicine in Arab countries. Various phytoconstituents evaluated and present in Boerhaavia diffusa are flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, triterpenoids, lipids, lignins, carbohydrates, proteins, and glycoproteins. The plant has also been reported to contain Punarnavine, Boeravinone, punarnavoside, boerhavin and boerhaavic acid. The Boerhaavia diffusa Plant has also been investigated for various pharmacologicological activities and showed Anti-bacterial, Anti-nociceptive, hepato-protective, hypo-glycemic, anti-proliferative, anti-estrogenic, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, anti-stress and anti-metastatic activities and also in treatment of stress, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, inflammation, jaundice to clearly understand the ancient Ayurvedic, Endemic and tribal usage of Boerhaavia diffusa. This paper includes the evidence-based overview of phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the plant Boerhaavia diffusa, which may be helpful to other researchers for further research.