The knowledge of Wild Edible Plants (WEPs) is as old as human civilization and still, they are playing a supplementary role in global food security. WEPs are an integral part of their traditional food systems and have nutritional and cultural values in their routine livelihood. WEPs are increasingly considered a potential source of a naturally healthy diet. But in many cases, the available WEPs resources are under threat of various kinds like overexploitation, overgrazing, forest fires, agricultural encroachment, etc.; the changing climate also negatively impacts on WEPs. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the conservation of the diversity of WEPs and their sustainable management. The present mini-review is an attempt to present the current scenario of WEPs, their importance, and a potential source of nutrients for future food security, ethnic knowledge associated with them, threats encountered by WEPs, and their possible sustainable management scheme.
Ruellia brittoniana is a common wild ethnomedicinal plant belonging to the Acanthaceae family. The plant was claimed ethnically wound-healing properties, use as an antidote against snake bites and to cure bone fractures. However, these claims are not been validated. The present study deals with powder microscopy, fluorescence, and qualitative phytochemical analysis of the leaves, stem, and root of this plant. The powdered microscopy showed the presence of both types of trichomes and spiral elements. The Fluorescence analysis under visible and ultra-violet light for leaves, stems and root powder treated with various chemical reagents revealed different patterns of fluorescence effect. The qualitative phytochemical study showed that the plant is rich in phytochemicals and possesses significant levels of Glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, and saponins. The availability of these groups of Phyto- components indicates that the plant could prove an alternative remedy to cure asthma, fever, bronchitis, high blood pressure, eczema, and diabetes. Further, the GC-MS analysis revealed the 10 phytochemical compounds have significant medicinal potential. The major objective of this study is to endorse this plant as a step toward commercial drug developments after confirming and standardizing its microscopic features and fluorescence behavior to identify adulteration in market-available crude drug powder and screening for possible drug molecules.
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