European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE LEAVES OF DOLICHOS GLADIATUS: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Shesh Narayan Sharma*, Vivek Gupta, Gyan Singh, Shivam Raikwar

ABSTRACT

Dolichos gladiatus, a leguminous climber from the Fabaceae family, has long been recognized in traditional medicine systems across tropical regions for its therapeutic potential, particularly in treating inflammatory conditions, digestive disorders, and skin ailments. This comprehensive review synthesizes the existing body of knowledge on the pharmacognostical and phytochemical aspects of its leaves, drawing from a wide array of studies to elucidate their morphological, anatomical, chemical, and biological properties. Pharmacognostical evaluations, including macroscopic, microscopic, and physicochemical analyses, provide essential data for standardization and quality control, ensuring the authenticity and purity of herbal materials derived from this plant. Phytochemical investigations reveal a rich profile of secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, and terpenoids, which are responsible for the observed bioactivities. These compounds exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and anticancer effects, as demonstrated through in vitro, in vivo, and preliminary clinical studies. The review incorporates five tables summarizing key findings on morphological features, physicochemical parameters, phytochemical constituents, extraction methods, and pharmacological activities. By compiling data from over 60 peer-reviewed sources published between 2000 and 2025, this article highlights the therapeutic promise of D. gladiatus leaves while identifying gaps in clinical validation and toxicological profiling. Future research should prioritize standardized extraction protocols, bioavailability enhancement, and randomized controlled trials to translate these findings into viable herbal therapeutics, potentially addressing global health challenges like antibiotic resistance and chronic metabolic diseases.

Keywords: Dolichos gladiatus, Toxicological evaluation, Pharmacognostical analysis, Phytochemical constituents, Herbal drug safety, Acute and subchronic toxicity, Bioactive compounds.