CLERODENDRUM SERRATUM (L.) MOON (BHARANGI): A COMPREHENSIVE ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Clerodendrum serratum (L.) Moon, also referred to as Bharangi, is one of the most significant and thoroughly studied medicinal shrubs in South and Southeast Asia. This plant, which is a member of the renowned Dasha Moola formulation group and belongs to the Lamiaceae (formerly Verbenaceae) family, has been used for millennia in traditional healing systems to treat a variety of conditions, including fever, sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchial asthma, skin disorders, arthritis, malaria, and jaundice. The current study offers a thorough, analytical, and publication-ready synthesis of the scientific literature on C. serratum.Phytochemical studies have revealed a wide range of bioactive secondary metabolites, such as iridoid glycosides (serratoside, acteoside, and clerodenoside A and B), terpenoids (ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, and serratagenic acid), steroids (β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol), D-mannitol, saponins, tannins, and volatile oils, and diterpenoids (clerodin, clerodermic acid, apigenin, scutellarein, and luteolin). HPLC, GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, FT-IR, HPTLC, and NMR platforms have all been used to accomplish thorough analytical characterization.Strong antioxidant activity through free-radical scavenging and enzymatic defense enhancement; hepatoprotection through ursolic acid-mediated GSH pathway modulation; broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antifungal activity, including anti-mycobacterial properties; antiasthmatic effects through saponin-mediated bronchodilation; immunomodulatory activity; analgesic and antipyretic properties; and promising anticancer and molecular docking findings. Despite methodological limitations and small sample sizes, clinical evidence consistently supports traditional criteria. While uterotonic activity merits contraindication during pregnancy, acute toxicity investigations demonstrate a satisfactory safety profile with an LD50 surpassing 2000 mg/kg. Pharmacokinetic characterization, standardized RCTs, and the creation of formulations based on nanotechnology are future research goals.