Potential Pharmacological Activity of an Indian Wild Edible Plant (Meyna laxiflora Robyns): A Review

Abstract

Wild edible plants (WEPs) are all those uncultivated plants that have meaning and value in the culture of each people. Meyna laxiflora Robyns is considered a wild plant, whose edible fruits, harvested in nature, are consumed by different populations. Leaves, fruit, and seeds of this species are considered, by several authors, to be organs rich in compounds that are important from a nutritional and medicinal point of view. The plant is highly located in tropical and subtropical areas all over the world and the fruit is consumed by triable communities in the Western Ghats sector of Maharashtra. This review introduces in a detailed survey of the literature on taxonomy, morphology, traditional use, medicinal, phytochemical-pharmacological properties of leaves, fruit, and seeds, which will be beneficial for exploring their properties. The fruit of this species contains different chemical compounds, such as carbohydrates, starch, protein, minerals, anti-nutritional factors and has traditional values for its medical purpose, for treatment of Gastrointestinal and other disorders etc. Although the demand for these wild forms of fruits has declined, so this review brings unique and notable attention must have to be paid on Meyna fruit to preserve, process, and improve awareness regarding the important source of food supply.