Ethnomedicinal, toxicity and pharmacological study of Abrus precatorious: A critical review

Abstract

In this review, an attempt has been made tocompile information related to the ethnomedicinal toxicity and pharmacological studies of Abrus precatorious. It is a perennial twining woody shrub belonging fabaceae family. The root, seeds, and leaves of A. precatorious are used worldwide for the treatment pain, swelling, leucoderma, stomatitis, wounds, gonorrhea, goiter, cervical lymph node, horseness of voice, purgative, emetic, alopecia sciatica. Major alkaloidal phytoconstituents reported from the roots, leaves, and seeds of A. precatorious include abrin, abralin, hypaphorine, choline which have been an investigated for a wide range of biological activities. In the toxicological investigation of A.precatorious,it was found that the seed powder of this plant produces toxicity like convulsions and irritation of the conjunctiva in many cases. Pharmacological activities of different parts of the plant reported include abortifacient, anti-fertility, anti-spermatogenic, antidiabetic, anti-malarial, antioxidant, anti-convulsant, antiepileptic, antitumor, nephroprotective and anti-inflammatory, activity. In the current review the literature data on the ethnomedicinal toxicity and pharmacological investigations on the A. precatorious are reviewed up to June 2017. © RJPT All right reserved.