Abstract
Scabiosa columbaria is a perennial herb widely used as herbal medicine throughout its distributional range in tropical Africa, Asia, and Europe. This study is aimed at providing a critical review of the biological activities, phytochemistry, and medicinal uses of S. columbaria. Documented information on biological activities, medicinal uses, and phytochemistry of S. columbaria was collected from several online sources which included BMC, Scopus, SciFinder, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Elsevier, PubMed, and Web of Science. Additional information on the biological activities, phytochemistry, and medicinal uses of S. columbaria was gathered from pre-electronic sources such as book chapters, books, journal articles, theses, and scientific publications sourced from the university library. This study showed that the aerial parts, leaves, roots, stems, and the whole plant parts of S. columbaria are used as colic, love charm and for magical purposes, and as herbal medicine for eye problems, heartburn, respiratory problems, wounds, female infertility, venereal diseases, skin infections, and menstrual problems. Phytochemical compounds identified from the aerial parts and roots of S. columbaria are glycoside scabiosin, loganin, sweroside, palmitic acid, phthalic acid, diisooctyl phthalate, bis-(ethylhexyl) phthalate, and dibutyl phthalate. Pharmacological research revealed that S. columbaria extracts and compounds have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiprotozoan activities. Future research should focus on evaluating the phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological properties of S. columbaria crude extracts as well as compounds isolated from the species.
Highlights
Scabiosa columbaria L. is a member of the Dipsacaceae or teasel family
The Dipsacaceae family contains about 300 species of annual and perennial herbs or shrubs that have been recorded mainly in the Mediterranean Basin, with about 20% distributed in Asia, Eastern and Southern Africa [7,11,12]
Research by Williams et al [26] showed that 58% of informal herbal medicine shops in the Gauteng Province were selling the whole plants of S. columbaria in 1995 at prices ranging from R77.3 to R98.6/kg (US$21.3–US$27.2)
Summary
Scabiosa columbaria L. is a member of the Dipsacaceae or teasel family. The Dipsacaceae family contains about 300 species of annual and perennial herbs or shrubs that have been recorded mainly in the Mediterranean Basin, with about 20% distributed in Asia, Eastern and Southern Africa [7,11,12]. The genus Scabiosa L. has been recorded in Europe, primarily in the Mediterranean Basin (five species and two species complexes that include about 14 taxa), Asia (12 species), and Eastern and Southern Africa (eight species) [13]. The species of Scabiosa are mainly annuals; others are perennials, with some of the species characterized by woody rootstocks [14]. Several species of the genus Scabiosa are widely used in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries [15]. The biological activities of Scabiosa species include antibacterial, analgesic, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-parasitic and these pharmacological activities are closely related to its high content of phenolic compounds, and these activities corroborate the beneficial properties of these medicinal plants [16]
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