Recent Studies on Phytochemicals and Pharmacological Effects of Eleutherine Americana Merr.

Eleutherine americana Merr., a medicinal plant, which has been widely cultivated in South East Asia. Ethnobotanically, the plant is known for treating coronary abnormality. Other pharmacological investigations showed its potency as antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents, and also as inhibitors of α-glucosidase, HIV replication,and topoisomerase II. Phytochemically, three groups of compounds have been isolated i.e. naphthalene, naphtoquinone and anthraquinone. This review highlights recent data on biological activities and discusses strategies for developing the plant into a more valuable commodity