A SYNTHESIS AND REVIEW OF MEDICINAL USES, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF HELICHRYSUM ODORATISSIMUM (L.) SWEET: ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY OF HELICHRYSUM ODORATISSIMUM

ALFRED MAROYI

doi:10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i18.33508

Authors

ALFRED MAROYI Department of Botany, Medicinal Plants and Economic Development Research Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i18.33508

Keywords:

Asteraceae, Helichrysum odoratissimum, Ethnopharmacology, Herbal medicine, Southern Africa

Abstract

Helichrysum odoratissimum is an important medicinal plant species in tropical Africa. The current study critically reviewed the medicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of H. odoratissimum. Information on medicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of H. odoratissimum were collected from multiple internet sources which included Scopus, Google Scholar, Elsevier, Science Direct, Web of Science, PubMed, SciFinder, and BMC. Additional information was gathered from pre-electronic sources such as journal articles, scientific reports, theses, books, and book chapters obtained from the university library. This study showed that H. odoratissimum is mainly used as an herbal medicine for insomnia, menstrual pain and sterility, and wounds and respiratory problems. Pharmacological research revealed that H. odoratissimum extracts and compounds isolated from the species have antibacterial, antimycobacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotection, and hypoglycemic and cytotoxicity activities. There is a need to validate the documented ethnomedicinal uses of H. odoratissimum through phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Therefore, future studies should address these knowledge gaps through experimental animal studies, randomized clinical trials, and target-organ toxicity studies involving H. odoratissimum crude extracts and compounds isolated from the species.

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