Phytochemical composition of different plant parts of Acacia nilotica (L.) and their medicinal values

Abstract

Plant-derived medicines are long being used for the prevention and treatment of various human ailments. For the last few decades, plants are widely being explored for their active ingredients due to their immense potential in the treatment of critical illnesses. Thus, in recent years, exponential growth can be seen in the field of herbal medicines. Medicinal plants are a unique source of valuable phytochemicals. Their use in different medicine systems is gradually increasing due to their cost-effectiveness, easy availability and natural origin with fewer or no side effects. Acacia nilotica (L.) is a member of the family Fabaceae, commonly found in tropical and sub-tropical regions and the plant is widely known for its enormous medicinal values. Every plant part of A. nilotica is a source of many bioactive important secondary metabolites that are widely useful for the cure of various human diseases and the development of new drugs. An exhaustive literature survey revealed that tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, polyphenols, fatty acids and carbohydrates are present as major classes of phytochemicals in different plant parts of A. nilotica. These phytochemicals exhibit significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiarrheal, antihypertensive, antispasmodic, anthelmintic, antiplatelet aggregation, anticancer and antiviral activities. The present review is aimed to organize the comprehensive information available on phytochemical composition and medicinal properties of different plant parts of A. nilotica viz. leaves, bark, flowers, seeds, pods, gum and roots. The study is useful to explore the therapeutic potential of different plant parts of A. nilotica which will further help in the development of new promising, safe, cost-effective drugs with a high therapeutic index from the different parts of the Acacia plant.