A review on effective utilization, phytochemical compounds, pharmacological intervention of a popularly used plant for developing a new drug: Zanthoxylum armatum with reference to its anticancer activity

The plant domain had great contribution in providing the health benefits to society when no concept of synthetic medicines and surgical management existed.Since it is a fact that native communities are highly knowledgeable about plants and other natural resources on which they are highly dependent, these medicinal plants are used by the local inhabitants to treat many diseases.Zanthoxylum armatum (Rutaceae) is a unique plant which grows everywhere and is quite popular among tribes for its vast medicinal properties, known to them by their ancestor since ages.People of Arunachal Pradesh of India, Nepal, Pakistan regularly use this seeds for culinary purpose while cooking meat, chew it regularly for any tooth ailments, to expel worms.It is available indigenously all around the subtropic valleys of Himachal Pradesh and North East region of India.This plant is considered as a divine plant in contiguous areas.The seeds contain many important phytoconstituents and essential oils which contribute to its biological activities including larvicidal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antinociceptive, antioxidant, antibiotic, hepatoprotective, antiplasmodial, cytotoxic, antiproliferative, anthelminthic, antiviral and antifungal.The plant has been reviewed thoroughly since the year 1830 and many research papers, reviews were published on its medicinal properties.However, anti cancer properties of the plant is not having any folk lore claim.During our literature survey, its immense medicinal properties and potential as a new chemical entity as anticancer agent were revealed which were not reported earlier.Many new phytochemical compounds were found.Methanol extract and the crude saponins from fruit, bark and leaves of Z. armatum for its anticancer effects on breast, colon cancer has been reported recently.Every parts of the plant, be it stem bark, leaves, fruits possess medicinal properties, unlike many other plants, which made this plant unique and fascinating.Hence we attempted to compile an account of the plant, work done so far and future strategies of research work, so that this useful plant can be utilized to its fullest extent for the health benefit of mankind and animals.