Coleus aromaticus Benth.: an update on its bioactive constituents and medicinal properties

Abstract

Coleus aromaticus is a herbal medicine that has been referred for its medicinal properties in traditional, ayurvedic, and folklore medicines. Therefore, various research in the area for biochemical characterization of its biochemical compounds are extensively carried out using various techniques including spectroscopy and chromatography analysis. The list of bioactivities reported for this plant includes antioxidant, antiepileptic, antiurolithic, antidiabetic, anticancer, anthelmintic, antiprotozoal, and antiviral activity. The plant is effectively used against cardiovascular disorders, respiratory disorders, digestive diseases and is used for its larvacidal property, allelopathic property and finds its use even in the food and beverage industry. Along with various healing properties, C. aromaticus possess antimycobacterial property i.e. the plant is effective in inhibiting both bacterial and fungal pathogens. Even though this herb is not cultivated on a larger scale in comparison to other plants of the same genus or family due to their phytochemical dominance but still C. aromaticus finds its use as herbal medicine. With an increasing number of reports on the various bioactivity and medicinal properties of C. aromaticus, this review is an effort to update our current knowledge on C. aromaticus.