BANAFSHA (VIOLA ODORATA LINN.) - A REVIEW
A. H. Ayshah Fazeenah* and Mohamed Aleemuddin Quamri
ABSTRACT
One of the boundless advantages of medicinal plants offers almost
completely naturally occurring, plant-derived substances with
medicinal properties, often without the alarming side effects. For
numerous centuries, medical practitioners have recognized the
therapeutic effects of certain plants’ have been influenced potent
remedies for all kinds of ailments. Herbal medicines are getting
significant attention in global health debates too. Eighty per cent of
African populations use some form of herbal medicine, and the
worldwide annual market for these products approaches US$ 60
billion. The global demand for herbal medicinal products has increased
significantly in recent decades. It is estimated that, the world’s
population will be expected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030. Banafsha is the flowers of the plant
Viola odorata Linn. commonly called as “sweet violet” belongs to Violaceae family and has
been in use since golden times for treating several diseases both in Unani and in Ayurvedic
systems of medicine. The Banafsha is available in commerce in three forms as the dried
aerial parts of the herb; only the dried flowers; and the aerial parts without flowers. Almost
all these parts are used for medicinal purpose, and it has been proven as, sedative, diuretic,
anti-asthmatic, laxative, anti-dyslipidemic, antihypertensive, antibacterial, antidiabetic,
antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, anticancer,
cytotoxic, anti-tubercular, and antifungal properties. It is used as a single drug or as an
ingredient in various formulations viz. syrup, decoction, infusion, confection, semisolid
preparations, oil and pill. The present review was undertaken to assimilate the effort to
explore the knowledge and comprehensively highlight the herb Viola odorata possess
multidisciplinary actions in human body. Details and facts on therapeutic uses of Viola odorata were gathered from Unani classical texts, research articles, journal and through web search.
Keywords: Viola odorata; sweet violet; medicinal properties; boundless advantages; multidisciplinary actions; global demand.
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