PHARMACOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MEDICINAL HERB ECLIPTA ALBA L. – A REVIEW

Though conventional medicines are slow in action, they represent safety in contrast to the synthetics that are regarded as somewhat unsafe to human and environment. The uses of many traditional herbs in the treatment of many diseases, which are usually free from side effects, are economical and also easily accessible to humans. Plants have formed the basis of sophisticated traditional medicine systems that have been in existence for hundreds of years and continue to provide mankind with new remedies. The use of synthetic chemical compounds has led to a decline in the use of plants in contemporary medicine. However, synthetic medicine can cause side effects, and as a result, people are more constructive to use natural compounds obtained from plants. Eclipta alba (L.) is a herbaceous plant which has been employed as traditional medicine especially in tropical and subtropical regions. E. alba is a widely applied traditional medicine and functional food, has been extensively explored for its bioactivities. The plant contains a broad array of active principles which includes coumestans, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, polyacetylenes, and triterpenoids. The leaves contain stigmasterol, a-terthienylmethanol, wedelolactone, demethylwedelolactone, and demethylwedelolactone-7- glucoside. Some of the important pharmacological activities are antihepatotoxic, analgesic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, etc. This review article describes the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Eclipta alba.