Phyto-chemical and Pharmacological Profiles of Clerodendrum Serratum Linn. (bharngi): a Review

Bharngi is one of the drugs of Ayurvedic meteria medica which is mainly indicated in the respiratory disorders. One the botanical sources of Bharngi is Clerodendrum serratum Linn. another species Pygmaeopremna herbacea is being in use for Bharngi. Clerodendrum serratum Linn. (Family: Verbenaceae) is very widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In Ayurveda it is used to cure various disorders like shwasa (breathlessness), kasa (cough), vrana (wound), shotha (swelling) and many vataja disorders (neurological disorders). Some of the chief constituents found in the plant are D-mannitol, hispidulin, cleroflavone, apigenin, scutellarein, serratagenic acid, acteoside, verbascoside, oleanolic acid, clerodermic acid, γ-sitosterol, β-sitosterol, cholestanol, clerosterol, campesterol and 24-ethyl cholesterol etc. C. serratum is used as an anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anticarcinogenic, hepatoprotective, wound healing, anti-allergic etc. Besides these activities the bronchodilator activity of this herbal plant has also been reported in its leaves.