MEDICINAL IMPORTANCE OF TRADITIONAL INDIAN HERBAL PLANT OXALIS CORNICULATA: A REVIEW

Oxalis corniculata is a perennial weed which is found in both tropical and temperate climates, it grows in damp and shaded areas throughout the Himalayas and warmer regions of India. This herb, an invasive weed has a number of valuable secondary metabolites. Numerous research has demonstrated the advantages of Oxalis corniculata leaf extract. Its metabolite profile, phytochemical analysis and therapeutic potential of its leaf extract are reviewed. To find diverse research relating to the utilization of this plant extract, a bibliographic search was done. Known bioactive compounds include oleic, linolenic, linoleic, stearic and palmitic acids, tannins, volatile oil, proteins, amino acids, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, flavonoids and carbohydrates. Several reports have revealed that it is considered as a weed, yet leaf extract has a wide range of benefits because of its pharmacological actions. Several pharmaceutical actions comprise of antimicrobial, antioxidant, wound healing, antifungal, antidiabetic, anticancer, antidiarrheal, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, antiamoebic, hepatoprotective, nematocidal and cardio-protective. This review paper summarizes all the medicinal aspect and remedial uses of Oxalis corniculata, a traditional Indian herbal plant belonging to family Oxalidaceae which can be used to treat various maladies and explore the bioactive potential of it.