A Comprehensive Study on Ethno-Pharmacological Exploration of Achyranthes aspera Linn.

Abstract

Recently, pharmacognosy, exploration of plant and animal based extracts and naturally present bioactive compounds as a source of possible drug has been a central area of research worldwide. In this review, an attempt has been made to list and comprehend various pharmacological potential of a widely available weed, Achyranthes aspera, growing in waste places along roadsides in tropical Asia, Africa and America. It has gained much attention in scientific researches due to its ethnomedicinal uses by folks and traditional healers. Its different parts (root, leaf, stem, inflorescence) and their active phytoconstituents have been scientifically investigated for antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthamic, antilipidemic, anti-oxidant, anti-obesity, nephroprotective, cardiostimulant, immunostimulant, prothyroidic, hepatoprotective and neuroprotective efficacies and showed positive results in most of the studies. On phytochemical screening, the plant has been reported to be rich in alkaloids, phenols, tannins, glycosides, flavonoids and saponins, which might be responsible for its pharmacological activities. This review provides an insight for various biological activities that have been scientifically explored in the past and led way to bridge the gap required for pharmaceutical utilisation of the herbal product. The plant can be used as a herbal alternative in treatment of diseases in addition to maintenance of a healthy body.