Opuntia Elatior Mill.–its Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties-a Review

Abstract

Opuntia elatior Mill. (OE) (Family Cactaceae), commonly recognized as Red Prickly pear, is a plant of varied nutritional and medicinal benefits. The species has been scrutinized for the composition and wide array of pharmacological activities. This review is attempted with an aim to document the updated status of OE with respect to its phytochemistry and pharmacological actions. The data is collected from the extensive review of literatures from scientific articles, dissertations and books available on various web-based search engines such as Pub-med, Google-scholar and Science direct and few unpublished observations. The fruit is reported to be rich in carbohydrates, flavonoids, phenolics, betalains, vitamin C and minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and potassium. Extract and the fruit as a whole are reported for anti-oxidant, hematinic, anti-leukemic, anti-diabetic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, anti-fertility, broncho-dilatory, mast cell degranulation, radio-protective and anti-arthritic activities. It is reported to be safe for administration in a dose dependent manner. OE is a nutritionally and medicinally important drug with a wide range of traditional and pharmacological applications. There is a vast scope for research on the varied traditional claims of this drug. This review might help for the further research on the species.

Traditional Medicinal Plants Applied for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases in Chlef, Algeria

“…According to several studies (Longo et al, 2007;Dahmoune et al, 2014), this species is characterized by a high antioxidant capacity, where, its leaves are an important source of flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, and natural pigments. The extracts of its aerial parts of this species showed the presence of terpineol, known for its significant antimicrobial activity (Ansari et al, 2012) besides its ability to inhibit mycelial growth (Barra et al, 2007). This survey also showed that Punica granatum, Quercus ilex, and Lavandula stoechas were frequently used for the treatment of diseases of the digestive system and are very effective remedies for colon disorders, ulcers, and stomach aches.…”