Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Tephrosia purpurea.
Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers. is popularly known as 'Sarapunkha' in classical Ayurvedic texts. It is a perennial plant belonging to the family Fabaceae, and occurs throughout the Indian subcontinent. T. purpurea is traditionally used to treat splenomegaly, cirrhosis, cough and cold, abdominal swelling and as an antidote in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Phytochemical investigations indicate the presence of semiglabrin, pongamole, lanceolatins A and B, rutin, lupeol, and β-sitosterol. Flavonoids including (+)-tephrorin A and B, (+)-tephrosone, an isoflavone, 7, 4'-dihydroxy-3', 5'-dimethoxyisoflavone and a chalcone, (+)-tephropurpurin were isolated from the whole plant. Pharmacological activities of different parts of the plant reported include anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiallergic, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antitumor and insect repellent activity. In the present review, the literature on the phytochemical and pharmacological investigations of Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers. are summarized to August, 2012.
Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
Satadru
S
Palbag
Bengal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, SPLPIM Campus, Jadavpur University, W.B. 741235, India.
Bijay Kr
BK
Dey
Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India. Electronic address: narendra_pharma1982@rediffmail.com.
Narendra Kumar
NK
Singh
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031304:Tephrosia / Q000737:chemistry*
D010936:Plant Extracts
Anti-inflammatory; Antitumor; Flavonoids; Hepatoprotective; Phytoconstituents; R28; Tephrosia purpurea