GENUS CARALLUMA: PHYTOCHEMICAL DIVERSITY, THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL, AND EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DRUG DISCOVERY

Abstract

The genus Caralluma has generated considerable attention due to its wide ethnomedicinal and phytochemical complexity. Still, lacking a comprehensive and update review that covers ethnomedicinal, phytochemical constituents and biological activitites. This review aims to offer comprehensive and up-to-date information on genus Caralluma associating with its taxonomy, medicinal uses, phytochemical compound classes, anti-microbial properties and toxicology studies to lead future research. Web search engines such as, Science Direct, PubMed, Wiley Online Library, Google scholar and Springer Link were used to conduct an exhaustive examination of the literature. The genus Caralluma belonging from family (Apocynaceae) consists of succulent species that have long been used in traditional medicines across South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. The results of this review presents a detailed synthesis of the available literature on the Distribution, medicinal uses, phytochemistry, antioxidant, antimicrobial and toxicity profiles of Caralluma species. The species of the Caralluma genus had been widely used to cure  diabetes, inflammation, skin issues (freckles and pimples), hypertention, liver disorders, hepatitis B/C, cancer(oral, curvical, brest, lungs, colon, and heptic cancer), rhumetisim, blood disorders, leprosy, peptic ulcers, dysentery, gastric issues, constipation, kidney stones, cysts, cough, asthama, insomnia, urogenital infections, tuberculosis, weight management, malaria, appetite suppressing  and microbial infections.  It also covers the phytochemical compound classes, including pregnane glycosides, flavonoids, Saponins, gallic acid, rutins, alkaloids, and phenolic compound. These biological activities could be associated with the chemicals present in the species of Caralluma. This review highlights that Genus Caralluma had high medicinal values and also had antioxidant, toxicity, antimicrobial activities with its phytochemical constituents. It also demonstrated the urgent need for the future research on the drug discovery and ethnopharmacological studies of the genus Caralluma.