Pharmacological Promises of Genus Artemisia ( Asteraceae ) : a Review

A huge amount of scientific literature is available about plant extracts and their compounds having great pharmacological importance. Although, plant-based medicines have been used since antiquity, but knowledge about their effectiveness on human health is still unclear. Artemisia genus belongs to the plant family Asteraceae. This genus comprises of about 500 species, which are well known for their medicinal properties. The aim of this review was to provide an insight about recent published scientific literature concerning pharmacological aspects of genus Artemisia. The compilation of literature has been done by using references from important databases such as Science Direct, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Abstracts, PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, Kings American Dispensatory, SciFinder, Research gate, Google Scholar and Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. In this review, special emphases have been given to the reported chemical compounds and biological activities from different Artemisia species. This review emphasis on the plant species from genus Artemisia possessing significant phytochemicals holding a broad range of biological actions like antimicrobial, antimalarial, anti-cancerous, antioxidant and anthelmintic activity. Certain crucial drugs have been unveiled from different species of Artemisia. One important constituent focused by researchers is artemisinin, which retains potential anti-malarial assets and is attained from Artemisia annua. Other groups of phytochemicals like flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, terpenoids, caffeoylquinic acids, acetylenes, coumarins and sterols are also found in this crucial genus. This genus also holds great possibilities for comprehensive scrutiny for other biological activities. The effects of constituents from various species of this genus on other deadly diseases may give better consequences.