A CRITICAL REVIEW ON THE MEDICINAL HERB AEGLE MARMELOS (LINN.) CORREA

Plants are essential to the survival of every species on Earth. Animal and plant life have a history of mutual consumption since antiquity. Earth’s sole producers are plant is a fact. As researchers learn more about plants, this assumption is being challenged. The Rutaceae family’s citrus species Aegle marmelos (Bael), a well-known medicinal herb, has a lengthy study history. In addition to its useful nutrients, A. marmelos produces a wide range of secondary metabolites, or phytochemicals, during its whole life cycle. Roots, bark, stems, leaves, fruit, and flowers are all used by humans in some way or another obtained from the A. marmelos plant. Various phytochemical substances include various alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, coumarins, saponins, carbohydrates, carotenoids, terpenoids, vitamins, and tannins generated by A. marmelos plants. The main phytochemical compounds isolated from A. marmelos plant are aegelenine, fragrine, halfordinol, marmelide, marmelosin, marmesin, marmin, psoralen, umbelliferone, limonene, rutin, skimmianine, lupeol, quercetin, esculetin, scopoletin, auraptene, seselin, etc. These phytochemical compounds obtained from the A. marmelos plant parts are being used since ancient times to cure various human ailments. The main focus of this review provides a critical analysis of these compounds and the ways in which these phytochemicals have the potential to treat a number of human health problems such as diarrhea, obesity, cancer, ulcer healing, chemoprotection, radioprotection, antiulcer, antimicrobial and antiviral activity, etc.