A Review on Source Plants of Dronpushpi - Leucas cephalotes (Roth) Spreng and Leucas aspera Spreng

Abstract

Dronpushpi is a classical medicinal plant attributed with certain specific indications like Vishamjwara, Kamalahara. Two different plant species of Leucas are taken in use in the name of Dronpushpi. Among them Leucas cephalotes (Roth) Spreng has been accepted as an official equivalent to Dronpushpi by the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda in its official formulary. It has also been mentioned in Unani Materia Medica. Leucas aspera Spreng is the most widely used substitute of Dronapushpi and is also equally important ethnobotanically. Leucas cephalotes (Roth) Spreng and Leucas aspera Spreng grow as a weed on wastelands and roadsides all over India from October to February. The plants are used as insecticides and indicated in traditional medicine for coughs, cold, painful swellings, chronic skin eruptions and rheumatism. Experimentally both the species have shown good antioxidant, hepatoprotective and antimicrobial activities. They contain β-sitosterol, triterpenoids, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, phenolic compounds, diterpenes, glucosides as major chemical constituents. The current review revealed that Leucas cephalotes and Leucas aspera have number of potentials in therapeutic field.