Zizyphus xylopyrus (Retz.) Willd: a review of its folkloric, phytochemical and pharmacological perspectives

Zizyphus xylopyrus (Retz.) Willd (Rhamnaceae) is an ever-green shrub of tremendous medicinal importance, distributed throughout the North-Western India, Pakistan, and China. Various parts of plant are used in Ayurvedic and other folk medicine for the treatment of different ailments such as obesity, diabetes, snake bite, fever, diarrhoea, insomnia and digestive disorders. The plant also possesses antisteroidogenic, anticonvulsent, antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, antidepressant, antidiarroheal and wound healing activity. Research has been carried out using different techniques to support most of these claims. This review is an attempt to compile an up-to-date on its folkloric or traditional uses, phytochemical as well as pharmacological properties of Zizyphus xylopyrus.