A Review on Leucas aspera for Phytopharmacological Studies

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Abstract

Herbal medicine is one of the oldest valuable bestowals that was given to mankind. Many plants and herbs hold their
prestigious position in the field of medicine. Plants are being used from more than 1000 years to treat diseases. The healing
properties of plants have been transferred within the human communities for over the centuries. Leucas aspera Linn. most
commonly known as “Thumbai,” “Gumma,” and “Thummichittu” and widely distributed in all parts of India. Conventionally,
it is also used as an anti-pyretic and insecticide. It also possesses medicinal properties such as antimicrobial, larvicidal, antinociceptive, cytotoxic antioxidant, and hepatoprotective activity. The leaves of Leucas are used in rheumatism. Various
phytochemical constituents are present in all parts of the plant mainly terpenoids, fatty acids, nicotine, ursolic acid, glucoside, beta-sitosterol, sterols, diterpene, and phenolic compounds. L. aspera possesses many medicinally active phytocompounds and has various biological and pharmacological effects, and hence this plant could have the constituents as new therapeutic agents.

Keywords

Leucas aspera

antioxidant

anti-nociceptive

cytotoxic activity

larvicidal activity

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest in any kind.

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