Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW ON ALTHAEA OFFICINALIS

Sharma Satish Kumar*, Sharma Sudhakar, Sachan Kapil, Tiwari Snigdha

ABSTRACT

officinalis belongs to family Malvaceae, commonly known as Khatmi. Althaea officinalis has been suggested in the Indian system of medicine for a number of diseases. Althaea officinalis contains pectin, starch, di-saccharide saccharose, mucilage, flavonoids (Hypolaetin-8- glucoside, isoquercitrin, kaempferol, caffeic, pcoumaric acid), coumarins, scopoletin, phytosterols, tannins, asparagine and many amino acids. Althaea officinalis has antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory, demulcent, soothing, and many other pharmacological effects. Another species Althaea rosea contains high molecular weight acidic polysaccharides known as mucilages, which are present in flowers and leaves. The mucilages are composed of glucoronic acid, galacturonic acid, rhamnose and galactose. It also contains proteins, alkaloids flavonoids and minerals. It possesses many pharmacological effects such as antimicrobial, cardiovascular, prevention of urolithiasis, antiestrogenic, cytotoxic and immunomodulatory. The aim of this review is to highlight the chemical constituents and; the pharmacological and therapeutic effects of Althaea species.

Keywords: Althaea officinalis, Khatmi Althaea rosea, mucilages and immunomodulatory.