Harnessing the Unexplored Therapeutic Essence of Elephantopus scaber L. for Menopausal Symptom Management

<i>Elephantopus scaber</i> L., also known as “Adhomukhi or Gojihva” in Hindi or Sanskrit. It is native to tropical and subtropical Asia and grows in grasslands, wastelands, at forest boundaries. Due to its therapeutic properties, the plant has been traditionally used worldwide as a curative measure for treating various disorders, including menstrual disorders (amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea), respiratory problems (asthma, bronchitis), cancer, heart issues, leukorrhea, and others. It has also been reported to possess various pharmacological properties such as anti-cancerous, anti-diabetic, antiinflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, analgesic, and emmenagogue properties. The entire plant is used medicinally, and due to the presence of anti-cancerous and anti-oxidant activity, it may be a ray of hope for combating the pre and post-menopausal consequences. Herbal drugs are currently in high demand, and their acceptance is growing each passing day due to their efficacy, lack of adverse effects, and low cost. The active phytochemical components found in the roots of E. scaber L. must first be investigated to justify their therapeutic application in herbal preparations for human use. This review describes E. scaber L. conventional medicinal uses and presents information on its chemical constituents as well as its pharmacological activity. It also offers plausible hypotheses and mechanistic insights into various phytochemicals, specifically deoxyelephantopin, triterpenoid lupeol, δ- truxinate, elescabertopin A & B, epifriedelinol, germacranolide sesquiterpene lactones, stigmasterol alone or in group and extracts, which might be the reason behind the curative perspective for the treatment of alarming complications, including the treatment for menopausal problems and its consequences such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, cognition, and breast cancer.