Title:Gymnema sylvestre R. Br., an Indian Medicinal Herb: Traditional Uses, Chemical Composition, and Biological Activity
Volume: 16
Issue: 6
Author(s): Giovanni Di Fabio, Valeria Romanucci, Cinzia Di Marino, Antonio Pisanti and Armando Zarrelli
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Antisweet activity, biological activity, functional foods, Gymnema sylvestre, gymnemic acid, phytochemical investigation,
traditional uses.
Abstract: Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. is one of the most important medicinal plants that grows in tropical
forests in India and South East Asia. Its active ingredients and extracts of leaves and roots are used
in traditional medicine to treat various ailments and they are present in the market for pharmaceutical
and parapharmaceutical products. Commercial products based on substances of plant origin that are
generally connoted as natural have to be subjected to monitoring and evaluation by health authorities
for their potential impacts on public health. The monitoring and evaluation of these products are critical
because the boundary between a therapeutic action and a functional or healthy activity has not yet been defined in a
clear and unambiguous way. Therefore, these products are considered borderline products, and they require careful and
rigorous studies, in order to use them as complement and/or even replacement of synthetic drugs that are characterized by
side effects and high economic costs. This review explores the traditional uses, chemical composition and biological activity
of G. sylvestre extracts, providing a general framework on the most interesting extracts and what are the necessary
studies for a complete definition of the range of activities.
