Phytochemical and pharmacological benefits of Hemidesmus indicus: An updated review

Abstract

Hemidesmus indicus (L.) is a potential source of several active principles of therapeutic value. It is an important medicinal herb used in the traditional system of medicine in India. Phytochemical studies have shown the presence of many valuable compounds such as alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, phenolic compounds, tannins, lignin, inulin and cardiac glycosides. Over the past decades, several reports highlighted the potential pharmacological properties with numerous lines of evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies. Main pharmacological activities include anti- antioxidant, inflammatory, anti-arthritic activity, anti-cancerous activity, anti-diabetes activity, anti-cataractous activity, anti-diarrhoeal activity, anti-HIV-1 activity, monophenolase activity, antivenom activity, anti-hepatocarcinogenic activity, anti-angiogenic activity, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. Due to the effective usage of this herb in biomedical science, it is essential to optimize the standard protocols for its propagation and enhancement of bioactive molecules. The present work reviews recent studies and updates on the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of this herb.