A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILING, ETHNOMEDICINAL SIGNIFICANCE AND PHARMACOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF CORDIA DICHOTOMA G. FORST LEAVES

Medicinal plants have long been recognized as a fundamental component of healthcare systems worldwide. Even in the modern era, a significant proportion of the global population relies on plant-based remedies for primary healthcare due to their accessibility, affordability, and perceived safety. Cordia dichotoma G. Forst a medicinally important species of the family Boraginaceae, has been widely utilized in traditional systems of medicine for the management of various ailments. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the ethnomedicinal importance, botanical characteristics, pharmacological activities, and therapeutic potential of Cordia dichotoma G. Forst leaves. Extensive literature evidence indicates that the leaves are rich in bioactive phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, and terpenoids, which contribute to diverse biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, and gastroprotective effects. The plant has been traditionally used for the managementof inflammation, fever, respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal disturbances, and skin diseases. Scientific investigations have demonstrated that the leaves possess a wide range of pharmacological properties, including analgesic, and wound healing activities. These biological effects are attributed to the presence of diverse bioactive constituents that act through multiple mechanisms such as free radical scavenging, inhibition of inflammatory mediators, and modulation of metabolic pathways. The available evidence highlights the potential of Cordia dichotoma leaves as a valuable natural resource for the development of novel therapeutic agents. However, further clinical validation and standardization are required to ensure its safe and effective use in modern medicine.[1-3]