Tricholepis glaberrima DC.: A Comprehensive Review of Its Ethnomedicinal Uses, Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activities and Therapeutic Potential

Abstract

Tricholepis glaberrima DC. is an underexplored medicinal herb belonging to the family Asteraceae and is traditionally known as Brahmadandi. The plant is indigenous to India and occurs particularly in seasonally dry habitats. It has a history of use in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine, where it has been associated with applications in sexual debility, nervous-system disorders, inflammatory conditions, hepatic disorders, skin ailments and urinary complaints. Modern pharmacological investigations have provided preliminary scientific support for several of these traditional claims. Phytochemical investigations have demonstrated the occurrence of sterols, triterpenoids, sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides and other secondary metabolites. Chemical studies have reported compounds such as betulin, spinasterol, stigmasterol, stigmast-7-enol, lupeol, cynaropicrin and 11,13-dihydrodesacylcynaropicrin. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated antioxidant, aphrodisiac, neuropharmacological, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective activities. Methanolic aerial-part extracts have shown antioxidant activity, while experimental studies have reported enhancement of sexual behavior and modulation of testicular antioxidant enzymes. Hepatoprotective investigations suggest that T. glaberrima may attenuate oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6. Ethanolic bark extract has also demonstrated nephroprotective activity against gentamicin-induced renal injury. Its traditional association with urinary disorders and the presence of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytoconstituents suggest that the plant merits further investigation for renal and antiurolithiatic applications. However, the available literature remains fragmented, and there is a significant need for standardized extracts, quantitative phytochemical profiling, mechanistic investigations, toxicological evaluation and well-designed experimental studies. This review summarizes the available evidence concerning the botanical identity, ethnomedicinal significance, pharmacognostic characteristics, phytochemistry and pharmacological potential of T. glaberrima and identifies opportunities for future drug-development research.