Article: PHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF BIOACTIVE MOLECULES FROM MEDICINALLY IMPORTANT PLANT PARASITE CUSCUTA REFLEXA: AN OVERVIEW

Article Category: Review articles

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.110363

Pages: 67-71

Author: Pratima Debnath and Krishna Kumar *

Abstract: Medicinal plants have been used as a resource for the treatments in local communities from ancient time. The parasitic plant Cuscuta reflexa also has medicinal properties. Many tribes and traditional communities use different forms of Cuscuta reflexa for the treatment and prevention of many diseases notably diabetes mellitus, headache, depression, mental illness, jaundice and hypertension, etc. Large numbers of phytochemical constituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, lignins, oxygen heterocyclic compounds, steroids, fatty acids, phenolic acids, resin glycosides and polysaccharides have been isolated from Cuscuta reflexa. Ethnopharmacological studies conducted on such constituents have shown to have anticancer, antiviral, antihypertensive, antibacterial and antioxidant and diuretic properties. In this review, we are presenting a detailed survey on the studies of Cuscuta reflexa including its chemical constituents, ethno medicinal uses and pharmacological activities. This study will be encouraged for exploring new bioactive compounds with various functions which are not reported till date. To conclude, we provide evidences and new insights for further discovery and development of natural drugs from Cuscuta reflexa and its mechanism of action.

Keyword: Cuscuta reflexa, ethno medicinal, antioxidant, bioactive, pharmacological, antibacterial