Abstract

BANAFSHA (VIOLA ODORATA LINN.) - A REVIEW

A. H. Ayshah Fazeenah* and Mohamed Aleemuddin Quamri

Abstract

One of the boundless advantages of medicinal plants offers almost completely naturally occurring, plant-derived substances with medicinal properties, often without the alarming side effects. For numerous centuries, medical practitioners have recognized the therapeutic effects of certain plants’ have been influenced potent remedies for all kinds of ailments. Herbal medicines are getting significant attention in global health debates too. Eighty per cent of African populations use some form of herbal medicine, and the worldwide annual market for these products approaches US$ 60 billion. The global demand for herbal medicinal products has increased significantly in recent decades. It is estimated that, the world’s population will be expected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030. Banafsha is the flowers of the plant Viola odorata Linn. commonly called as “sweet violet” belongs to Violaceae family and has been in use since golden times for treating several diseases both in Unani and in Ayurvedic systems of medicine. The Banafsha is available in commerce in three forms as the dried aerial parts of the herb; only the dried flowers; and the aerial parts without flowers. Almost all these parts are used for medicinal purpose, and it has been proven as, sedative, diuretic, anti-asthmatic, laxative, anti-dyslipidemic, antihypertensive, antibacterial, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, anticancer, cytotoxic, anti-tubercular, and antifungal properties. It is used as a single drug or as an ingredient in various formulations viz. syrup, decoction, infusion, confection, semisolid preparations, oil and pill. The present review was undertaken to assimilate the effort to explore the knowledge and comprehensively highlight the herb Viola odorata possess multidisciplinary actions in human body. Details and facts on therapeutic uses of Viola odorata were gathered from Unani classical texts, research articles, journal and through web search.

Keywords: Viola odorata; sweet violet; medicinal properties; boundless advantages; multidisciplinary actions; global demand.