MULTIPOTENTIAL MEDICINAL VALUE OF Curculigo orchioides Gaertn

The Indian subcontinent is enriched by a variety of the flora—both medicinal and aromatic plants. This extensive flora has been greatly utilized as a source of many drugs in the Indian traditional systems of medicine as it contains broad range of secondary metabolites such as glycosides, tannins, alkaloids, triterpenes, flavonoids, etc. Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. (Hypoxidaceae) is a perennial herb with long cylindrical rhizomes, distributed throughout India, especially in north hillside region as well as in other Asian countries. The rhizomes of this plant possess various medicinal properties such as cooling, diuretic, aphrodisiac, hemorrhoids, leucorrhoea, pruritis, skin diseases, asthma, bronchitis, jaundice, cancer, and wound healing. The rhizome as well as tuberous roots of the plant have been extensively used in various indigenous systems of medicine in India, Pakistan, China, and some other Asian countries for the treatment of different diseases. This review summarizes the phytochemicals and medicinal uses of C. orchioides Gaertn. which may be helpful to future research on C. orchioides by providing current information on composition of phytochemicals and their medicinal properties.