title: An update on Shankhpushpi, a cognition-boosting Ayurvedic medicine.
abstract: Shankhpushpi is an Ayurvedic drug used for its action on the central nervous system, especially for boosting memory and improving intellect. Quantum of information gained from Ayurvedic and other Sanskrit literature revealed the existence of four different plant species under the name of Shankhpushpi, which is used in various Ayurvedic prescriptions described in ancient texts, singly or in combination with other herbs. The sources comprise of entire herbs with following botanicals viz., Convulvulus pluricaulis Choisy. (Convulvulaceae), Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. (Convulvulaceae), Clitoria ternatea Linn. (Papilionaceae) and Canscora decussata Schult. (Gentianaceae). A review on the available scientific information in terms of pharmacognostical characteristics, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, preclinical and clinical applications of controversial sources of Shankhpushpi is prepared with a view to review scientific work undertaken on Shankhpushpi. It may provide parameters of differentiation and permit appreciation of variability of drug action by use of different botanical sources.
authors.affiliation: Herbal Drug Technology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. nscognosy2006@gmail.com
authors.forename: Neeraj Kumar
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Sethiya
authors.forename: Alok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nahata
authors.forename: Sri Hari
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Vinod Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Dixit
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D010598:Pharmacognosy
chemical_list: D008419:Materia Medica; C079204:Shankhapushpi