Therapeutic potential of Pergularia daemia (Forsk.): The ayurvedic wonder

Abstract

Pergularia daemia Forsk. (Asclepiadaceae) is a perennial twinning herb grows widely along the roadsides of India and also in the tropical and subtropical regions. The whole plant posses high medicinal value and traditionally used in treating various ailments for human beings. Some of the folklore people used this plant to treat jaundice, anthelmintic, laxative, anti-pyretic, expectorant and also used in infantile diarrhoea. Phytochemically the plant has been investigated for cardenolides, alkaloids, triterpenes and saponins. The plant has been demonstrated to possess multiple pharmacological activities such as antiinflammatory, hepatoprotective, anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, antiinfertility and central nervous system depressant activity. This review highlights on the existing information particularly on the phytochemistry and various pharmacological properties of Pergularia daemia which may provide incentive for proper evaluation of the plant as a medicinal agent. © 2010 Asian Network for Scientific Information.