A review of traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Portulaca oleracea L.

J Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Jun 9;205:158-172. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.05.004. Epub 2017 May 8. A review of traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Portulaca oleracea L. Iranshahy M1, Javadi B2, Iranshahi M1, Jahanbakhsh SP3, Mahyari S3, Hassani FV4, Karimi G5. Author information 1 Biotechnology Research Center and School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 2 Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 3 Pharmaceutical Research Center, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 4 Pharmaceutical Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 5 Pharmaceutical Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: KarimiG@mums.ac.ir. Abstract ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Portulaca oleracea L. is a widespread medicinal plant that is used not only as an edible plant, but also as a traditional medicine for alleviating a wide spectrum of diseases. It is a well-known plant in the European Traditional Medicine. PA is mentioned by Dioscorides (40-90 CE), with the name of "andrachne". AIM OF THE REVIEW: In this study, we provide detailed information on botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological uses, pharmacokinetics and safety of P. oleracea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An extensive search on electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, conference papers, local herbal encyclopedias, articles, books (in English, French, Arabic, Persian, etc.) and also a number of unpublished handwritten manuscripts was done to find articles have been published between 1956 and 2015 on pharmacology and phytochemistry of P. oleracea. RESULTS: P. oleracea has been addressed in De Materia Medica as an astringent, and a remedy for headaches, inflammation of the eyes and other organs, burning of the stomach, erysipela, disorders of the bladder, numbness of the teeth, excessive sexual desire, burning fevers, worms, dysentery, hemorrhoids, eruptions of blood, and bites. Phytochemical investigations revealed that this plant a wide range of secondary metabolites including alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids and organic acids. The most important pharmacological activities are renoprotective activities and effects on metabolism. P. oleracea could successfully decrease blood glucose and lipid profile of patients with metabolic syndrome. The safety of P. oleracea has been reported in many clinical trials. CONCLUSION: Modern pharmacological studies have now proven many traditional uses of P. oleracea, including anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic, renoprotective and hepatoprotective effects. In addition, in many clinical trials P. oleracea showed no adverse effects and constipation was reported as the most frequent adverse effect. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. KEYWORDS: Anti-hyperglycemic; Anti-hyperlipidemic; Ethnopharmacology; Hepatoprotective; Portulaca oleracea L.; Renoprotective PMID: 28495602 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.05.004 [Indexed for MEDLINE] ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315775449_Phytochemistry_and_Pharmacology_of_Portulaca_olearacea Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Portulaca olearacea. January 2014 Nagendra Singh ChauhanNagendra Singh ChauhanUpmanyu NeerajGupta Surya Prakash NANDINI CHAUHAN