A REVIEW OF THE THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF MIRABILIS JALAPA

Plants have been utilised for thousands of years to cure, prevent, and manage a wide range of ailments across the world. The primary advantage of adopting plant-derived medications is that they are generally safer than synthetic ones. There are more than 2,500,000 higher plant species worldwide. Throughout history, several of these plants have been utilised medicinally by diverse civilizations. One of those is Mirabilis jalapa Linn. Mirabilis jalapa L. (Nyctaginaceae) is a perennial bushy herb about 1 meter in height, propagated by seeds or root tubers and commonly known as "four o'clock" plant. It is a valuable medicinal herb that is widely used to treat a variety of illnesses. People from all around the world use it to treat stomach colic, aphrodisiac, boils, diarrhoea, inflammations, genitourinary problems, muscle discomfort, and other ailments. Several phytochemical substances identified from this plant's components include alkaloids, brassicasterol, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, phytosterols (beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol), oleanolic acid, trigonelline, and ursolic acid. This plant has been investigated for its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and cytotoxic, anti-tumor, anti-nociceptive, anti-histamine and immune modulatory, anti-tubercular induced hepatotoxic effect, anti-parasitic, dermatological, hypoglycemic, and anti-hyperlipidemic properties. It also serves as a reductant in the creation of gold nanoparticles. This article gives a brief description regarding a biological description of Mirabilis jalapa include various botanical description, habitat, morphology, chemical constituents present in the plant, and pharmacological importance. The present study may enhance the knowledge regarding the use of Mirabilis jalapa for treating various diseases to involve the complex of use of plant.

Key words: Mirabilis jalapa, secondary metabolites, four O’clock plant, hypoglycemic activity, anti-parasitic activity.