Abstract

PHYTOCHEMISTRY, PHARMACOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY REVIEW OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS

N. Kokila*, S. Mohamed Showkath Ali, R. Neelaveni, S. Nigitha Abarna, R. Parasuraman and D. Prabhakaran

Abstract

Medicinal herbs are the local heritage with global importance. Medicinal herbs have curative properties due to presence of various complex chemical substance of different composition, which are found as secondary plant metabolites in one or more parts of these plants. Emblica officinalis fruit is rich in quercetin, phyllemblic compounds, gallic acid, tannins, flavonoids, pectin, and vitamin C and also contains various polyphenolic compounds. Many pharmacological studies have demonstrated the ability of Emblica officinalis as antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antitumor, antigenotoxic, anti-inflammatory activities, anticancer, anti HIV-reverse transcriptase, antidiabetic, inhibitory effects, antidepressant, antiulcerogenic, hair growth tonic, wound healing activities, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and many other traditional uses of the plant. Euphorbia hirta, (family- Euphorbiaceae) is an herb found in many parts of the world. In Sanskrit it means “Dugadhika” According to the Doctrine of Signatures, the plant has a reputation forincreasing milk flow in women, because of its milky latex, and is used for other femalecomplaints as well as diseases of the respiratory tract. Moringa oleifera, an important medicinal plant is one of the most widely cultivated species of the family Moringaceae. It is highly valued from time immemorial because of its vast medicinal properties. Sida cordifolia (Malvaceae) is a highly reputable medicinal herb in the Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine in India and various other countriesA number of chemical constituents and various therapeutic effects of leaves of Aegle marmelos have been reported by different workers. The present article provides all necessary information regarding its phytochemical investigations, pharmacological actions and medicinal properties. Every part of medicinal plants is said to havebeneficial properties that can serve humanity so the whole plant can be extensively studied forfurther research aspects.

Keywords: Phytochemical screening, Aegle marmelos, Emblica officinalis, Moringa olifera, Sida cordifolia, Euphorbia hirta.