**2.3 Pharmacology**

*Plant Extracts*

*Phyllanthus amarus*.

**2. Boerhavia diffusa**

**2.1 Origin and distribution**

*B. rubicunda* [6]. Taxonomy

Floral formula

**2.2 Chemical constituents**

content [2%] was found.

which can be used to cure viral hepatitis [3].

Kingdom - Plant Kingdom Class - Dicotyledons Sub class - Monochlamydeae Series - Curvembryae Order - Caryophyllales Family - Nyctaginaceae Genus - *Boerhavia* Species - *diffusa*

Binomial name - *Boerhavia diffusa*

Br, Brl, O, [+], P5, A[5], G[2]

discovered the exact mechanism by which many different plants provide their therapeutic advantages. Three such plants are *Boerhavia diffusa*, *Eclipta alba* and

*Boerhavia diffusa* is a herbaceous plant commonly known as punarnava in Sanskrit. The whole plant is known to have medicinal properties and being used in most parts of the subcontinent. Alkaloids are best known principle product present in the roots which is known as punarnavine. In traditional medicine, *Boerhavia diffusa* is more commonly used in the treatment of jaundice, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, spleen enlargement and as an antistress agent. In the year 1980–1991, researchers proved that *B. diffusa* root extract had strong antihepatotoxic properties

*B. diffusa* is found mostly in Asia, that too in warmer parts with an altitude of 2000. It grows well in crop fields and wastelands after the rainy season [4]. The genus *Boerhavia* has many species, and is also found spread in few regions of the world. *B. diffusa* is found in few places of Australia, South Africa and USA apart from Asian countries like China, Egypt, Pakistan, Sudan, Sri Lanka and in several countries of the Middle East [5]. Out of the 40 species of this genus, 6 species are found in India namely *B. diffusa*, *B. chinensis*, *B. erecta*, *B. repens*, *B. rependa* and

The main component 2-glucopyranose-4-hydroxy-5-[P-hydroxyphenyl]-

propionyldiphenyl methane was found in the roots of the plant. Many steroids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, lipids, lignins, proteins, carbohydrates and glycoproteins are mostly found [7]. Punarnavine, hypoxanthine 9-L-arabinofuranoside, ursolic acid, boeravinone, punarnavoside and liirodendrin have been purified and elucidated in detail for their biological activity with antiviral properties. Large amount of potassium nitrate is mostly found in this plant. The entire plant has huge percentage of proteins and fats. It also contains 14 amino acids in root, out of which 7 are essential amino acids. Punarnavoside is an antifibrinolytic compound isolated from the roots of *B. diffusa* long back [8]. When roots were analyzed for phytochemical screening, maximum alkaloid

**56**

Pharmacological studies have demonstrated strong antiviral properties. Wide diuretic properties have been found in punarnavoside obtained from Punarnava, apart from that anthelmintic, antifibrinolytic, anticonvulsant, antibacterial, antihepatotoxic, antiasthmatic and antinematodal activity have also been observed. Against various abnormal production of liver enzymes AST, ALT and pigment bilirubin, the aqueous root extracts of *B. diffusa* at a dose of 2 ml/kg exhibited strong protection [9].

Drugs obtained from this herb, given either alone or in combination with other drugs were found to be effective in killing many virus for disorders pertaining to liver, infections of the respiratory tract and heart disease [10]. Against various bacteria, the purified form of glycoprotein obtained from *B. diffusa* exhibited strong antimicrobial activity. Many clinical researches have proved that against bacteriophages punarnava is found to be very effective [11]. For inducing systemic resistance in various crops against different viruses, the roots of *B. diffusa* are used [12].
