Narzary Christina, Sarkar Dhrubajyoti, Das Priyanka, Papi Dakme
Department of Pharmacy, Regional College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Patarkuchi Lane, Beside Dichang Resort, Tepesia, Sonapur, Guwahati, Assam, PIN 782402, India.
Assam down town University, Sankar Madhab Path, Gandhinagar, Panikhaiti, Guwahati, Assam, PIN 781026, India.
Chem Biodivers. 2025 Jan;22(1):e202401408. doi: 10.1002/cbdv.202401408. Epub 2024 Oct 31.
Dioscorea bulbifera (Family: Dioscoreaceae) also referred to as 'Air potato,' carries significant importance in the traditional medicine of China, West Africa and India. It is a common ingredient in numerous herbals and Ayurvedic formulations used to treat a variety of ailments. The literature review extensively examined the historical usage, phytoconstituents, characterisation of phytoconstituents, and medicinal uses of tubers, leaves, rhizomes and bulbils, with a particular focus on comparing research findings. Among the bioactive constituents, aglycone forms of steroidal saponins such as dioscorine, dioscin, diosbulbins, and diosgenin exhibit significant biological activities. Extracts from different parts of the plant exhibited pharmacological activities like anti-viral, anti-malarial, analgesic, antidiabetic, and anticancer. It is necessary to conduct an in-depth investigation to bridge between traditional knowledge and scientific evidence. This comprehensive review aims to provide a detailed understanding of the ethnobotany, phytoconstituent, chemical characterization and pharmacological potential of D. bulbifera, highlighting its prospects and challenges for future research and medicinal application.
薯蓣（薯蓣科），也被称为“空气土豆”，在中国、西非和印度的传统医学中具有重要意义。它是众多用于治疗各种疾病的草药和阿育吠陀配方中的常见成分。文献综述广泛研究了其历史用途、植物成分、植物成分的表征以及块茎、叶子、根茎和珠芽的药用，特别侧重于比较研究结果。在生物活性成分中，甾体皂苷的苷元形式，如薯蓣碱、薯蓣皂苷、薯蓣素和薯蓣皂苷元，具有显著的生物活性。该植物不同部位的提取物表现出抗病毒、抗疟疾、止痛、抗糖尿病和抗癌等药理活性。有必要进行深入研究，以弥合传统知识与科学证据之间的差距。本综述旨在详细介绍薯蓣的民族植物学、植物成分、化学表征和药理潜力，突出其未来研究和药用应用的前景与挑战。
