A Complete Review of Ethnopharmacology, Pharmacology and Phytochemistry of Anacyclus pyrethrum DC

Anacyclus pyrethrum DC is an important medicinal plant belonging to the family Asteraceae, indigenous to North Africa and found in the Arabian peninsula, the Mediterranean, and north India. It is a perennial herb known as Aqarqarha, Pellitory, Akarkara, or Spanish Chamomile. This herb is widely used in traditional medical systems such as Unani, Siddha, and Ayurveda systems of medicine. Its root has been traditionally employed to address ailments like toothache, gingivitis, dental caries, periodontitis, Ludwig's angina, migraine, epilepsy, hemiplegia, facial palsy, headache, hysteria, atony/flaccidity, tremor, nasal congestion, anaphrodisia, premature ejaculation, amenorrhea, coccydynia, sciatica, backache, polyarthritis, general weakness, rheumatism, cholera and edema. This review summarises studies gathered up to January 2022 from databases including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Wiley Online Library, ResearchGate, and Web of Science, using keywords such as Anacyclus pyrethrum DC, Aqarqarha, and Akarkara. A. pyrethrum is rich in bioactive compounds including saturated fatty acids (isovaleric acid, decanoic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, octadecanoic acid, palmitic acid), unsaturated carboxylic acid (cinnamic acid), fructans (inulin), phenols, polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, pellitorine, pyrethrin, anacycline, herculin, sesamin, polysaccharides, volatile oils, essential oils, propanedioic acid, levulinic acid, squalene, steroids, terpenes, saponins, and stigmasterol. Medicinal studies show that the plant exhibits a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, immunomodulatory, analgesic, antiprotozoal, neuroprotective, anti-hyperglycemic, wound healing, anticancer (cytotoxicity), anabolic, aphrodisiac, and reproductive activities, as evidenced by in vivo, in vitro, and clinical studies. This manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of A. pyrethrum, identifying significant gaps and research objectives, especially regarding the active compounds and their mechanisms of action.