Abstract

OXALIDACEAE FAMILY: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW OF BOTANICAL DIVERSITY, PHARMACOGNOSTIC FEATURES, PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND AYURVEDIC– ETHNOMEDICINAL SIGNIFICANCE

Dr. Rashmi Balage, Dr. Priyanka Wate, Dr. Mohan Yende, Dr. Rajkumar Gupta

Abstract

Background: Oxalidaceae R.Br. is a distinctive floweringplant family placed in the order Oxalidales. Current Plants of the World Online (POWO) treatment recognizes five accepted genera—Averrhoa L., Biophytum DC., Dapania Korth., Oxalis L. and Sarcotheca Blume—and approximately 570 species, with Oxalis representing the largest genus. Members occur mainly in tropical and subtropical regions and include plants of nutritional, ornamental, ecological and medicinal importance.[1,2] Objective: This review integrates botanical characteristics, pharmacognostic significance, ethnomedicinal and Ayurvedic relevance, phytochemical composition, pharmacological evidence and toxicological considerations of selected medicinally important members of Oxalidaceae. Materials and Methods: A narrative literature review was prepared from the literature contained in the original manuscript and supplemented with current taxonomic information from Kew Plants of the World Online and peer-reviewed literature indexed in PubMed. Particular attention was given to Oxalis corniculata L., Biophytum sensitivum DC.,Averrhoa carambola L. and Averrhoa bilimbi L. The evidence was interpreted according to the level of experimental or clinical support available. Results: The family is characterized by alternate leaves that are often compound, actinomorphic bisexual flowers, usually five sepals and five petals, ten stamens arranged in two whorls, a superior ovary and generally capsular fruits.[1] Selected medicinally investigated species contain flavonoids, phenolic compounds, biflavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, polysaccharides and organic acids. Experimental studies report antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, wound-healing, immunomodulatory and anticancer activities for selected taxa, but most evidence remains preclinical.[3–6] Averrhoa carambola is of particular safety interest because oxalate and caramboxin have been associated with renal and neurological toxicity.[8–10] Conclusion: Oxalidaceae represents a valuable reservoir of medicinal and nutritionally important plants. Future research should emphasize botanical authentication, pharmacognostic standardization, chemical fingerprinting, mechanism-based investigations, pharmacokinetics, toxicity assessment, herb–drug interaction studies and well-designed clinical trials. Integration of classical Ayurvedic Dravyaguna knowledge with modern pharmacognosy and pharmacology may support scientifically rigorous evaluation of medicinal species.

Keywords: Oxalidaceae; Oxalis corniculata; Biophytum sensitivum; Averrhoa carambola; Dravyaguna; pharmacognosy; phytochemistry; ethnomedicine; pharmacological activity; medicinal plants.