A review on ethnobotany and promising pharmacological aspects of an endangered medicinal plant, Curcuma caesia Roxb.

Curcuma caesia Roxb. is one of the rarest medicinal plants used traditionally for the mitigation of various ailments. It is now classified as an endangered species and through this review, an overview regarding the pharmacological benefits of this plant has been put forward. Information on the ethnobotany and phytochemistry along with pharmacological activities was retrieved from the electronic databases for the period from 1962 to 2019. A literature review of articles published in local magazines, conference papers, unpublished materials, and books on traditional and medicinal plants of India was also conducted. There is very little information on C.caesiais in the literature, which revealed its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities along with neuropharmacological, thrombolytic, anthelmintic, antiulcer, and antidepressant properties. The modern pharmacological studies have validated some of the traditional claims and uses. However, many aspects of this perennial herb have not been studied due to its limited availability and authenticity of the species. There is limited availability of the species as it has become an endangered crop due to its overexploitation as traditional medicine since ancient times. Being a critically endangered medicinal plant, conservation strategies using modern breeding techniques strongly warrant further research on in vitro and in vivo biological activities in different assay systems; toxicity, adverse effects, and clinical efficacy of C.caesia are recommended to be further studied.