An insight into medicinal and ethnopharmacological potential of Crotalaria burhia

Crotalaria burhia Buch.-Ham. (C. burhia) (Fabaceae), is an undershurb found distributed in arid parts of the world. It extensively grows in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. It is a highly medicinal plant. The leaves, branches and roots can be used as a cooling medicine. Plant juice is useful for treatments of gout, eczema, hydrophobia, pain and swellings, wounds and cuts, infection, kidney pain, abdominal problems, rheumatism and joint pain in traditional medicine system. The medicinal activity is the result of the presence of various important phytochemicals like alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, polyphenols, tannins, steroids, triterpenoids, anthraquinones, crotalarine, monocrotaline, croburhine, crosemperine, quercetins and β-sitosterol. C. burhia is also known to possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities, which supports its traditional uses. In this article, a comprehensive account of phytochemical constituents and pharmacological activities is presented along with traditional uses of C. burhia.