Pharmacological Insights into Boerhavia Diffusa L.: Traditional Therapeutic Uses, Phytochemistry, And Contemporary Pharmacological Evidence
Keywords:
Boerhavia diffusa, Nyctaginaceae, Medicinal plants, Phytochemistry, EthnomedicineAbstract
Boerhavia diffusa L. (Family: Nyctaginaceae), commonly known as Punarnava, is an important medicinal herb widely used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for the management of hepatic, renal, inflammatory, metabolic and immune-related disorders (Kaur, 2019). This species has regained renewed scientific interest, owing to the growing interest in plant-derived therapeutics, owing to the wide range of bioactive phytochemicals and varied pharmacological activities. The plant contains a variety of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, rotenoids, lignans, steroids, glycosides, phenolic compounds and phytosterols which collectively contribute to its therapeutic potential. The experimental studies have shown significant anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, diuretic, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, anticancer, radioprotective, antihistaminic, anticonvulsant, antiulcer and adaptogenic properties. Several in vitro, in vivo and limited clinical studies have validated the pharmacological activities of B. diffusa. Boerhavia diffusa.can be a valuable source of novel therapeutic agents.
Despite a large body of experimental evidence, there are still several challenges for standardization of plant extracts, identification of active phytoconstituents, elucidation of molecular mechanisms, pharmacokinetic characterization, toxicity evaluation and large-scale clinical validation. The existing literature is dispersed across various disciplines, making it difficult to achieve a complete understanding of the plant's pharmacological potential.
This review critically summarizes the published evidence on ethnomedicinal importance, phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties of Boerhavia diffusa. It also identifies the current research gaps and future perspectives for the translation of traditional knowledge into evidence-based therapeutic applications. The review highlights the importance of integrating phytochemical investigations, molecular pharmacology and clinical research to establish Boerhavia diffusa.as a scientifically validated medicinal plant for future pharmaceutical development.
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