Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2013 Jul;7(14):140-51.
doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.120513.

Onosma L.: A review of phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology

Neeraj Kumar  1 , Rajnish Kumar  1 , Kamal Kishore  2
Affiliations
Review

Onosma L.: A review of phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology

Neeraj Kumar et al. Pharmacogn Rev. 2013 Jul.

Abstract

The genus Onosma L. (Boraginaceae) includes about 150 species distributed world-wide in which only about 75 plants has been described for its morphology and less than 10 plants for their chemical constituents and clinical potential. The phytochemical reports of this genus revels that it comprise mainly aliphatic ketones, lipids, naphthazarins, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, naphthoquinones, flavones while most important are shikonins and onosmins. The plants are traditionally used as laxative, anthelmintic and for alexipharmic effects. The plants are also equally use in eye, blood diseases, bronchitis, abdominal pain, stangury, thirst, itch, lecoderma, fever, wounds, burns, piles and urinary calculi. The flowers of various plants are prescribed as stimulants, cardiotonic, in body swelling while leaves are used as purgative and in cutaneous eruptions. The roots are used for coloring food stuffs, oils and dying wool and in medicinal preparations. This review emphasizes the distribution, morphology, phytochemical constituents, ethnopharmacology, which may help in future research.

Keywords: Alkannin; Ratanjot; hispidone; naphthoquinones; shikonin.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared

References

    1. El-shazly A, Ghani AA, Wink M. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Onosma arenaria (Boraginaceae) Biochem Syst Ecol. 2003;31:477–85.
    1. Shu DZ. Onosma Linnaeus. Flora China. 1995;16:348–57.
    1. Reidl H, Onosma . Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands. In: Devis PH, editor. Vol. 6. Edinburg: Edinburg University press; 1978. pp. 326–76.
    1. Nasir YJ, Onosma L. Flora of Pakistan. In: Nasir YJ, Alis I, editors. Vol. 191. Islamabad: National Herbarium, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council; 1989. pp. 94–100.
    1. Binzet R, Kandemir I, Orcan N. Palynological classification of Onosma L. (Boraginaceae) species from east Mediterranean region in Turkey. Acta Bot Croat. 2010;69:259–74.

LinkOut - more resources