International Scholarly Research Notices
Volume 2014 (2014), Article ID 385969, 22 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/385969
Review Article
Ethnopharmacological Significance of Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk. (Asteraceae)
Rownak Jahan,1 Abdullah Al-Nahain,2 Snehali Majumder,3 and Mohammed Rahmatullah2,4
1Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
2Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
3Department of Microbiology and Serology, NH Health, Bangalore 560099, India
4Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, House No. 78, Road No. 11A (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
Received 29 June 2014; Accepted 8 September 2014; Published 29 October 2014
Academic Editor: Jagadananda Ghosh
Copyright © 2014 Rownak Jahan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Eclipta alba can be found growing wild in fallow lands of Bangladesh where it is considered as a weed by farmers. Traditional medicinal systems of the Indian subcontinent countries as well as tribal practitioners consider the plant to have diverse medicinal values and use it commonly for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory tract disorders (including asthma), fever, hair loss and graying of hair, liver disorders (including jaundice), skin disorders, spleen enlargement, and cuts and wounds. The plant has several phytoconstituents like wedelolactone, eclalbasaponins, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, luteolin, and apigenin. Pharmacological activities of plant extracts and individual phytoconstituents have revealed anticancer, hepatoprotective, snake venom neutralizing, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Phytoconstituents like wedelolactone and ursolic and oleanolic acids as well as luteolin and apigenin can form the basis of new drugs against cancer, arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, skin diseases, and liver disorders.
