Evaluation of phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of Holarrhena antidysenterica (Wall.): A comprehensive review

Medicinal plants are generating an ever-increasing amount of interest due to the effectiveness, low cost and minimal side-effects associated with drugs derived from them. Holarrhena antidysenterica (syn. H. pubescens) WALL., belonging to the family Apocynaceae, is commended for the medicinal applications of its stem bark, leaves and seeds in Ayurveda. During the past century, studies on the phytochemical and pharmacological nature of the plant have yielded important results regarding the chemical constituents present and have also verified the traditionally claimed properties associated with the plant viz. analgesic, antibacterial, anti-diarrhoeal, anti-amoebic, anti-inflammatory and anti-haemorrhoidal activities. Moreover, recently some other properties have also been discovered viz. anti-malarial, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anti-urolithic, anti-mutagenic, CNS-stimulating, Angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitory and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. This review discusses the findings of studies on the aforementioned properties of the plant in detail and 68 alkaloids isolated from various parts of plant to justify its widespread use in the treatment of a variety of diseases and suggests future lines of research.