GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE: A REVIEW OF ITS PHYTOCHEMISTRY, PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

Gymnema sylvestre, a plant belonging to the Apocynaceae family, is nativeto various regions of Asia, Africa, and Australia. It has long been used intraditional medicine and is currently popular as a dietary supplement owingto its numerous health benefits. G. sylvestre is commonly used in bothtraditional and Ayurvedic medicine, primarily because of its ability to lowerblood glucose levels. This glucose-lowering effect is attributed to itsphytochemical content, which includes compounds such as gurmarin,gymnemic acid, and gymnemasaponins. In addition to its role in managingdiabetes, the plant is also used to treat a variety of conditions, such asarthritis, diuretic issues, anemia, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, heartdisease, asthma, constipation, infections, indigestion, and inflammation.Additionally, Gymnema sylvestre is recognized for its antioxidant, antibiotic,antiviral, gastrointestinal, and liver-protective properties, as well as itsanticancer and lipid-lowering effects. This review provides a comprehensiveoverview of the pharmacological and clinical benefits of Gymnemasylvestre, along with the chemical components linked to these therapeuticproperties.