Abstract

THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF SHITIVAR (CELOSIA ARGENTEA L.)

Chauhan Varsha*, Mishra H. S. and Agarwal Ajay Kumar

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Abstract

Since ancient time, medicinal plants have been the major source of drugs. They play vital role in the drug development programme and providing nutrition and treatment of various diseases for man. In rural areas, traditional healers gain more prominence in the use of plants of ethnomedicinal origin for prophylaxis and cure of disease. Celosia argentea Linn. is widely used in traditional medicines to cure several disorders such as kidney stone, fever, diarrhoea, inflammation, jaundice, gonorrhoea, itching, wounds, mouth sores, bleeding piles, bleeding nose, gastrointestinal diseases, haematological disorders, uterus disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, snakebite and as abortifacient. Literature review from Vedic, Ayurvedic and contemporary literature like books, Journals of traditional Indian medicine revealed that Celosia argentea Linn. has a lot of medicinal properties. A variety of phytoconstituents have been isolated from the Celosia species which includes phenols, tannins, flavonoids, amino acids, carbohydrate, phenolic acids, novel triterpenoids saponins including Celosin E, F, and Celosin G together with a known compound Cristatain, betalain, alkaloids which include Celogenamide A, celosin, amaranthin. This plant has potential pharmacological activities such as, anti–inflammatory, immuno–stimulating, anti-urolithiatic, anti–diabetic, anti–diarrhoeal, wound healing, anti– oxidant activity, anti–metastatic activity, anti–hepatotoxic activity and eye disorders. Different parts of the plant are reported to be used of which seed is most frequently used part. Present review is an attempt to validate classical claims regarding therapeutic efficacy of C. argentea Linn. on the basis of evidences collected from various pharmacological studies.

Keywords: Celosia argentea Linn, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological activity, Traditional uses.