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Polyalthia longifolia Promises to be a Potential Nutraceutical

Mahajan N

Use of herbs for treatment of various diseases is well defined in all indigenous folk medicine worldwide. This practice led to the formation of a well-accepted link among diet, nutrition and health and therefore evolved the concept of nutraceuticals in modern medicine. Nutraceuticals hold promises in clinical settings as they have the ability to decrease the risk of side effects that are associated with pharmaceuticals along with reduced cost and toxicity. Polyalthia longifolia Benth. and Hook (Annonaceae) is a large genus of shrubs and tree distributed in tropics and subtropics regions of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Studies have demonstrated antimicrobial activity, cytotoxic function, antiulcer activity, hypoglycemic activity and hypotensive effects of extracts from various parts of P. longifolia. Till date, more than 20 active principles have been isolated and characterized from the P. longifolia in aqueous, methanolic, and ethanolic and chloroform extracts. The therapeutic efficacy of P. longifolia extensively used in folk system of medicine, however, testing and evaluation (preclinical and clinical trials) in a modern scientific way is the need of hour.