Abstract

PHYTOCONSTITUENTS, PHARMACOLOGY, AND MODERN FUTURE PERSPECTIVES OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANT EVOLVULUS ALSINOIDES LINN. (SHANKHPUSHPI)

Pradip Kushwaha*, Avinash Maurya, Sudheer Yadav, Vikas Yadav, Ramesh Chandra, Dr. Anil Kumar

Abstract

Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L., known as Shankhpushpi or Vishnukranti, is a medicinal plant of the family Convolvulaceae and is used traditionally in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is valued as a brain tonic for memory and cognition, and for the management of anxiety, depression, epilepsy, and amnesia. Phytochemicals like flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, triterpenoids, and resin glycosides contribute to the therapeutic potential. Preclinical studies have reported antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-amnesic, memory-enhancing, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and hepatoprotective activities. This review considers its botanical aspects, traditional applications, phytochemistry, analytical techniques, pharmacological activities, neuropharmacological potential, mechanisms, safety, and research gaps. Most of the data are still only in the preclinical stage, which is encouraging. Further research should be directed toward activecompound characterization, extract standardization, advanced profiling, pharmacokinetic and toxicity studies, in-vivo validation, sustainable cultivation, Additional research should focus on active-compound characterization, extract standardization, advanced profiling, pharmacokinetic and toxicity studies, in-vivo validation, sustainable cultivation, formulation development, and well-designed clinical trials to establish therapeutic efficacy and safety.

Keywords: Evolvulus alsinoides; Convolvulaceae; Phytochemistry; Bioactive compounds; Neuroprotective activity; Pharmacological activities; Antioxidant activity; Therapeutic potential.