Functional properties of Streblus asper Lour.: a review

Abstract

Plants are the major sources of food and medicine for humans. Streblus asper Lour is a small tree belonging to the Moraceae family and is commonly found in tropical countries. S. asper plant is used in several folk medicines, especially Ayurveda and Siddha, to treat several diseases and disorders. This review summarizes the medicinal and economical properties of this medicinal plant. Scientific literature dealing with S. asper was collected from scientific databases without any year limit and was included in this review. About twenty potential active compounds were isolated from S. asper. The study revealed that S. asper is an important medicinal plant with several proven therapeutic potentials in vitro and in vivo, including anti-cancer, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-diarrhoeal, anti-macrofilaricidal, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and neuroprotective effects. Additionally, the plant can be used as animal feed and bio-insecticide. It also helps in the coagulation of skimmed milk and cheese production. Further, it has some economic uses, including vermicompost production and papermaking and its use as a fuel. However, there are no prescribed S. asper-based therapeutic agents to manage any disease condition, and some adverse effects were observed in human trials. Enough studies are available to prove the potential of S. asper in vitro and in vivo models; however, further clinical studies are required to develop safe therapeutic agents using the phytoconstituents of S. asper.