Silvics, phytochemistry and ethno pharmacy of Strychnos potato rum Linn: A review

Abstract

Strychnos potatorum L. (Loganiaceae) commonly known as Nirmali is a well-known plant in rural India. Seed powder often used for treating drinking water. Seed, bark, leaves and root are used by resource poor people for treatment of chronic diarrhoea, gastrological disorders, gonorrhoea, leucorrhoea, bronchitis, dysentery, renal and vesicle calculi, diabetes, scleritis, ulcers, conjunctivitis and other eye disease. Seed is rich in alkaloid diaboline and official in many traditional systems of medicines viz Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy. Pharmacologically nirmali seed is tasted for anti-microbial, antiarthritic, nephroprotective, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrhoeal, antinociceptive, antipyretic and contraceptive activity. Potential of seeds in coagulation, defluoridization and biosorption of toxic heavy metals like chromium (VI), lead etc. from waste water is experimentally authenticated. Unscientific overexploitation, poor regeneration along with loss of habitat put this magical plant under vulnerable list. In this review an effort has been made to elucidate the morphophenology, nursery techniques, silvicultural management, pharmacognostic authenticity of crude drug, scientifically validated therapeutic uses in a lieu to assist further research in chemical screening of elite genotypes, developing agrotechniques of cultivation, varietal development, by-products extraction thereby protecting it from extinction.