A comprehensive review of pharmacological and toxicological properties of Cheilocostus speciosus (J.Koenig) C.D.Specht

Cheilocostus speciosus (J.Koenig) C.D.Specht has been commonly used in many indigenous clinical complications to healing various ailments. A list of phytochemicals has been extracted and identified with multiple pharmacological and therapeutic properties from the different parts of C. speciosus (J.Koenig): sterioidal and furostanol saponins, sterioidal and furostanol glycosides, triterpene, phytoserol, sesquiterpenes, benziquinone, and fatty acid esters. Compared with other parts of the C. speciosus (J.Koenig), rhizomes are most extensively studied for their anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, astringent, depurative, expectorant, febrifuge, purgative, and toxin neutralizing properties. Generally, this plant has been reported to have a range of pharmacological activities, including antibacterial, antihyperglycemic, antiinflammatory, antipyretic and antidiuretic, antilarvicidal, antistress, and estrogenic. These findings are highly promising and indicate that the plant needs to be carefully investigated for its diverse therapeutic benefit and associated toxicities and tolerance level. The present review will discuss geographical mapping, morphology, traditional, phytochemistry, and pharmacological prospects of C. speciosus (J.Koenig).