Abstract

PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGY OF PLANTAGO OVATA: A NATURAL SOURCE OF LAXATIVE MEDICINE

*Devesh Tewari, Nishat Anjum and Y.C. Tripathi

Abstract

Plantago ovata Forsk. belonging to the family Plantaginaceae is an annual herb indigenous to the Mediterranean region specially Southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia. In India, it is cultivated as a cash crop in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana states. Various medicinal properties have been attributed to this plant in traditional system of medicine. On account of its mucilaginous husk the plant also finds variety of industrial applications. It can be grown on different types of soils, has moderate water and nutrient requirements and fits well in the cropping system. The distribution, traditional uses, industrial applications and agronomic, Chemical and pharmacological aspects of the plant crop are reviewed in this paper.

Keywords: Plantago ovata, Distribution, Pharmacognosy, Chemistry, Agronomy.