A Review of Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Properties of the Genus .

The genus , belonging to Saururaceae, contains two species, L. and (Lour) Baill. with common utilization in traditional medicine from Asia to North America for the treatment of edema, beriberi, jaundice, leucorrhea, urinary tract infections, hypertension, hepatitis diseases, and tumors. An extensive review of literature was made on traditional uses, phytochemistry, and ethnopharmacology of using ethno-botanical books, published articles, and electronic databases. The 147 of chemical constituents have been isolated and identified from and , and lignans, flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, saponins, and phenols are the major constituents. Various pharmacological investigations in many and models have revealed the potential of the genus with anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anti-oxidant, hepatoprotective, antimelanogenic, lipid-lowering, and bone protective activities, supporting the rationale behind numerous of its traditional uses. Due to the noteworthy pharmacological properties, can be a better option for new drug discovery. Data regarding many aspects of this plant such as toxicology, pharmacokinetics, quality-control measures, and the clinical value of the active compounds is still limited which call for additional studies.