Asian Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 2018; 4(5): 570-581 570 Review Article Medicinal uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological profile of Madhuca longifolia Pragati Khare1* , Kamal Kishore 2 , Dinesh Kumar Sharma 3 1Department of Pharmacy, Bhagwant University, Rajasthan, India 2Department of Pharmacy, M.J.P. Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, U.P., India 3Department of Pharmacy, Devsthali Vidyapeeth College of Pharmacy, Rudrapur, U.K., India Received: 10 July 2018 Revised: 2 August 2018 Accepted: 15 August 2018 Abstract Madhuca longifolia is also called Mahua or butternut tree, belonging to sapotaceae family. It is about 17m in height. Madhuca longifolia is an evergreen tree. It is mostly found in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. It is gifted with many chemical ingredients which are responsible for various medicinal properties. It consists of terpenoids, proteins, starch, anthraquinone glycosides, phenolic compounds, mucilage, cardiac glycosides, tannins and saponins. Leaves are also contained quercetin, β -carotene, erthrodiol, palmitic acid, myricetin, 3-O-arabionoside, 3-O-L-rhamnoside, quercitin, 3-galactoside, xanthophylls. The timber is used in construction of houses, cartwheels, doors. It is a good source for nitrogen fixation. Various parts of the tree are used as fodder for cattles, as fertilizer as intercrop. Leaves of mahua are used in the treatment of eczema, wound healing, antiburns, bone fracture, anthelminthic, emollient, skin disease, rheumatism and headache. The flowers are utilized as tonic, analgesic and diuretic; bark for rheumatism, chronic bronchitis and diabetes mellitus and leaves as expectorant and for chronic bronchitis and Cushing's disease. In this review we make a compilation focused on the synonyms, botanical description, phytochemicals, pharmacological activity and medicinal uses of Mahua. Keywords: Mahua, Sapotaceae, Madhuca longifolia, antioxidant, swelling and liquor Introduction astringent and cooling. It can be used to cure acute and Madhuca is also called Mahua or butternut tree, belonging to chronic tonsillitis, helminthes, pharyngitis as well bronchitis. sapotaceae family. It is about 17m in height. It is gifted with Its leaves can be used as expectorant, cushing's disease and many chemical ingredients which are responsible for various chronic bronchitis and can be used to cure eczema in the form medicinal properties. It consists of terpenoids, proteins, starch, of poultice. Inflammation can be cured by the use of aerial anthraquinone glycosides, phenolic compounds, mucilage, parts of the plant. The stem bark powder can be used for cardiac glycosides, tannins and saponins. The bark can be used strengthening gums in form of tooth powder. The bark for phlegm, itching, swelling, fractures, snake-bite, diarrhoea, infusion can be used for the treatment of diarrhoea (Sharma et chronic tonsilitis, leprosy and fever and rheumatism. It has been al., 2013). reported that mahua possesses wound healing, antimicrobial, Madhuca indica is been gifted with the antioxidant activity antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer activity and anti- which is necessary to combat the oxidative stress due to free diabetic activities (Sharma et al., 2016). radicals. The free radicals are responsible to damage Mahua is found mainly in Asian and Australian forests, chemical species making the other molecules unstable like deciduous forests of West Bengal, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, superoxide anion (Reactive oxygen species) (Sharma et al., Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and sub mountainous region of the 2013). Himalaya. Its flowers have the property of tonic, aphrodisiac, Madhuca longifolia is a medium to large sized deciduous tree with a large top, distributed in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. *Address for Corresponding Author: Leaves: Clustered at end of the branches; coriaceous, elliptic, Pragati Khare shortly acuminate, base cuneate. Department of Pharmacy, Bhagwant University, Ajmer, Rajasthan, Flower: numerous, near the ends of branches, drooping on India. pedicels. Calyx: coriaceous, densely clothed rusty E-mail: [email protected] DOI: https://doi.org/10.31024/ajpp.2018.4.5.5 2455-2674/Copyright © 2018, N.S. Memorial Scientific Research and Education Society. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). www.ajpp.in Asian Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 2018; 4(5): 570-581 571 tomentum. Corolla: yellowish-white, tube, fleshy. Stamens: 20- Different Species of Madhuca 30, usually 24 or 26, anthers hispidat the back with stiff hairs. The genus Madhuca belongs to the family Sapotaceae. This Fruits: berries, ovoid, fleshy and green, seeds.The flowers are genus has various species (The Plant List, 2013); some of it used as cooling agent, aphrodisiac, astringent, demulcent, are listed below: tonsillitis, helminthes, pharyngitis, bronchitis, impotency, 1. Madhuca alpinia inflammation, eczema. Flowers are used in the cure of eye 2. Madhuca aristulata diseases. Flower juice is beneficial for the treatment of skin 3. Madhuca aspera disease. The bark is useful for the treatment of itching, swelling, 4. Madhuca barbata fractures and snake-bite poisoning (Bhaumik et al., 2014). 5. Madhuca bejaudii 6. Madhuca betis 7. Madhuca burckiana 8. Madhuca calcicola 9. Madhuca cheogiana 10. Madhuca clavata 11. Madhuca coriacea 12. Madhuca costulata 13. Madhuca crassipes 14. Madhuca cuneata Figure 1.(a) Tree of Madhuca longifolia (b) Flowers of 15. Madhuca cuprea Madhuca longifolia 16. Madhuca curtisii 17. Madhuca daemonica All the parts of Madhuca longifolia (Honey tree) possess 18. Madhuca decipiens medicinal properties. This tree is worshipped by the tribals of 19. Madhuca diplostemon Central India for its religious and medicinal value. It grows well 20. Madhuca dongnaiensis in dry tropical climate and is a deciduous tree. 21. Madhuca dubardii The states of India where Mahua is widely distributed are 22. Madhuca elliptica Gujarat, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya 23. Madhuca elmeri Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Mahua tree is grown 24. Madhuca endertii on private land, revenue and forest lands (Ekka et al., 2014). 25. Madhuca engleri Taxonomical classification 26. Madhuca erythrophylla 27. Madhuca esculenta The taxonomical classification of Madhuca longifolia is as 28. Madhuca firma follows: 29. Madhuca floribunda Kingdom Plantae 30. Madhuca fulva 31. Madhuca fusca Division Magnoliophyta 32. Madhuca glabrascens Class Magnoliopsida 33. Madhuca hainanensis Order Ericales 34. Madhuca heynei Family Sapotaceae 35. Madhuca hirtiflora Genus Madhuca 36. Madhuca insignis Species Longifolia 37. Madhuca kingiana 38. Madhuca klackenbergii Vernacular Names 39. Madhuca korthalsii Madhuca longifolia is known by different names in different 40. Madhuca krabiensis languages like Atavimaduka in Sanskrit; Mohua, Mungli in 41. Madhuca kuchingensis hindi; Ippa, Madhukamu in telugu; Iluppai, Kattillupi in tamil; 42. Madhuca kunstleri Mohuka, Mohulo in odia; Illuppa, Iruppapu in Malayalam; 43. Madhuca lanceolata Doddippa, Halippa in kannada; Mahuva in urdu; Moha, Mhowra 44. Madhuca lancifolia in Marathi; Mahudo in gujarati; Mahula, Kochra in Bengali 45. Madhuca lanuginose (Kumar et al., 2016). 46. Madhuca laurifolia www.ajpp.in Asian Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 2018; 4(5): 570-581 572 47. Madhuca lecomtei 97. Madhuca thorelii 48. Madhuca leucodermis 98. Madhuca tomentosa 49. Madhuca ligulata 99. Madhuca tubulosa 50. Madhuca lobbii 100. Madhuca utilis 51. Madhuca longifolia 101. Madhuca vulcania 52. Madhuca longistyla 102. Madhuca vulpina 53. Madhuca macrophylla 103. Madhuca woodii 54. Madhuca magnifolia Historical background 55. Madhuca malaccsensis Since long ago, mahua tree has been a source for various 56. Madhuca microphylla edible products and also in medicinal purposes. Mahua has 57. Madhuca mindanaiensis been worshipped by tribals because it's all parts are used for 58. Madhuca mirandae the well-being of humans. The flower of Madhuca 59. Madhuca montana longifolia is used as a flavoring agent in dishes and rice. 60. Madhuca monticola Pickles are also made from mahua flower. It is also used as 61. Madhuca moonii feed for the cattle. Mahua is used by the lactating mothers as 62. Madhuca motleyana it increases the milk production (Shrivastava, 2018). 63. Madhuca multiflora 64. Madhuca multinervia Tribals believe in conserving mahua as it is sacred for them 65. Madhuca neriifolia and the mahua drink comes in the culture of tribals (Verma, 66. Madhuca oblongifolia 2014). 67. Madhuca obovatifolia Cultivation and collection 68. Madhuca obtusifolia In India, 0.12 million tones Mahua seeds are produced 69. Madhuca ochracea which are used for extraction of the oil. Mahua flowers 70. Madhuca orientalis production in India is about 1 million tons. State 71. Madhuca ovate government of India motivates mahua seeds and flowers 72. Madhuca pachyphylla collection as it is a source of employment for many people. 73. Madhuca palembanica Mahua can be planted or it can be self sown. Flowering 74. Madhuca pallida occurs in March to April (Patel et al., 2012). 75. Madhuca pasqueiri 76. Madhuca penangiana The collection of mahua seeds is generally performed in the 77. Madhuca penicillata months of May, June and July. In this period the flowering is 78. Madhuca pierrei more than the seed production. The fruits are collected in the 79. Madhuca platyphylla morning by the villagers by hand-picking method or 80. Madhuca primoplagensis bamboo sticks. In the peak time