A Review on Barleria prionitis: Its Pharmacognosy, Phytochemicals and Traditional Use

Barleria prionitis, belonging to Acanthaceae family, is a small spiny shrub, normally familiar as “porcupine flower” with a number of vernacular names. It is an indigenous plant of South Asia and certain regions of Africa. The therapeutical use of its flower, root, stem, leaf and in certain cases entire plant against numerous disorders including fever, cough, jaundice, severe pain are recognized by ayurvedic and other traditional systems. As a significant source of secondary metabolites including saponin, tannin, flavonoid, alkaloid, glycoside, phenolic compounds recent pharmacognostical screening renders its effectual functions as potent antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, gastro-protective agent etc. Although having a potential remedial significance, it is still underutilized. This review can be considered as a bird’s eye view highlighting the current progress of Barleria prionitis in pharmacological and pharmacognostical field with its prominent folk uses.