The Role of Indian Magical Herb Selaginella bryopteris L. (Selaginaceae) in Pharmacotherapeutic Perspective: An Overview

Abstract

This review involves the medicinal as well as therapeutic applications of Sanjeevni (Selaginella bryopteris L.) in curtailing different types of acute and chronic maladies. The magical herb (Selaginella bryopteris) is utilized for its resurrecting and medicinal properties in various regions of the world. S. bryopteris based formulations have been widely used in folk medicine to treat spermatorrhoea, colitis, epilepsy, leucorrhoea, urinary tract infections, fever, venereal illnesses, constipation, beri-beri, cancer, and many other ailments. The medicinal and pharmacological effects of S. bryopteris have been extensively studied in recent years, employing a variety of in vivo and in vitro models and clinical studies. Many biochemical and pharmacological studies on Selaginella bryopteris have been conducted, and many of its traditional applications have been validated scientifically. Different biological activities are concerned with it, like anti-bacterial, growth-promoting, anti-protozoan, relief from heat stroke and the burning sensation during urination, anti-stress cell death, memory improvement, relief from stomach-aches, anti-hyperglycemic activity, and anti-depressant activity. S. bryopteris is undeniably one of the most significant plants owing to its enormous pharmacological and therapeutic potential. On the other hand, several information gaps found in this article might spur fresh academic and R&D efforts to produce S. bryopteris-based herbal medications and nutraceuticals. Key words: S. bryopteris L., Sanjeevni, Selaginaceae, Biflavonoid.