A REVIEW ON MAHUA (MADHUCA LONGIFOLIA): ITS CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

In developing countries, between 75% and 80% of the world’s population depend on herbal products for the management of primary health issues. Herbal remedies derived from plants are considered among the most beneficial and least toxic therapeutic agents. Mahua, mahuwa, and mohula are common names for Madhuca longifolia, which belongs to the Sapotaceae family and it is also known as the butter nut tree. It is an economically important tree widely distributed across India. Madhuca longifolia is recorded to contain various bioactive compounds, including sapogenins, triterpenoids, steroids, saponins, flavonoids, and glycosides. Extensive pharmacological studies have demonstrated its ethnomedicinal properties, such as analgesic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, anticancer, antiulcer, and antihyperglycemic activities. This review summarizes the traditional uses of different plant parts, their phytochemical constituents, and the reported pharmacological activities of Madhuca longifolia.