Author(s): Prakash Patil

Abstract: Helicteres isora L. (Malvaceae), commonly known as East Indian screw tree, is a widely used medicinal plant in South and Southeast Asia. Traditional systems—including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and various folk traditions—employ its fruits, roots, stem bark, and leaves to manage gastrointestinal disturbances, metabolic disorders, infections, respiratory ailments, and gynecological conditions. This narrative review synthesizes botanical and ethnopharmacological knowledge with contemporary phytochemical and pharmacological evidence to clarify how H. isora contributes to herbal therapeutics. Morphologically, the species is identified by its characteristic twisted, screw-like follicles and pubescent leaves; it is adapted to dry deciduous habitats and often used as a multipurpose species in rural health care and livelihoods. Phytochemically, H. isora contains a diverse repertoire of secondary metabolites—principally polyphenols (flavanols, flavonols, tannins), phenolic acids, triterpenoids (e.g., betulinic and oleanolic acid derivatives), steroids, lignans, simple and oligomeric sugars, and alkaloid traces—supported by chromatographic and spectrometric profiling in multiple studies. Across preclinical models, extracts and isolated constituents have demonstrated antioxidant, antimicrobial (bacterial and fungal), antidiarrheal, antidiabetic/?-glucosidase inhibitory, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, and antispasmodic properties. Preliminary safety assessments suggest a reasonable margin of safety for traditional oral doses, although standardized toxicology, herb-drug interaction data, and reproductive toxicity studies remain limited. Quality control considerations—macroscopic/microscopic authentication, marker-based HPTLC/HPLC fingerprints, and contamination limits—are essential due to high use and market adulteration risk. Conservation and sustainable supply are salient because local wild collection pressures threaten populations in certain ranges. Overall, H. isora represents a promising candidate for evidence-led, standardized phytomedicine development, especially for gastrointestinal and metabolic indications, provided that future research prioritizes chemotaxonomic clarity, robust bioassay-guided isolation, pharmacokinetics, dose-ranging safety, and multicentric clinical trials.

DOI: 10.22271/flora.2024.v12.i6b.1024