From Ethnomedicine to Drug Discovery: The Pharmacological Promise of Dalbergia Sissoo

Dalbergia sissoo, commonly known as Sheesham, is an important medicinal plant of the Fabaceae family, widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions. It has long been recognized in traditional medicine systems for its therapeutic value. The plant contains a diverse spectrum of phytochemicals, including flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, quinones, phenolic acids and essential oils, which contribute to its broad pharmacological profile. Various plant parts such as leaves, bark, heartwood and seeds are known to possess significant medicinal properties. Traditionally, D. sissoo has been used for treating conditions like inflammation, skin disorders, fever, anemia, infections, and bone-related ailments. Decoctions and extracts from the plant have been applied in Ayurveda and folk medicine for their analgesic, antipyretic, and blood-purifying actions. Modern scientific investigations further support many of these uses, highlighting its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective and anti-osteoporotic activities. Despite its long history of ethnomedicinal use, the full therapeutic and pharmacological potential of Dalbergia sissoo remains underexplored. Many compounds reported from the plant have not yet been thoroughly evaluated for their mechanisms of action, toxicity profile or potential for drug development. With advances in phytochemical analysis and molecular pharmacology, D. sissoo emerges as a promising candidate for discovering novel therapeutic agents. This review aims to present a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the phytochemistry, traditional medicinal applications, and pharmacological activities of D. sissoo, thereby encouraging further research and promoting its potential utilization in future drug discovery and development.