Podophyllum L.: An endergered and anticancerous medicinal plant-An overview

Podophyllum hexandrum Royle syn P. emodi Wall. ex Hook.f. & Thoms. is an endangered and valuable medicinal plant, distributed in the Himalayan zone at an altitudes ranging from 2000 to 4000 m above MSL. It is an herbaceous and rhizomatous perennial plant also found in few pockets of Indian cold desert (Ladakh and Lahaul-Spiti). Its rhizomes and roots contain about 8% of podophylloresin from which several lignans were isolated. Amongst the most important being podophyllotoxin (4% on a dry weight basis) which has cytotoxic and antitumour properties, and also used in the treatment of certain forms of cancer. In past few years, the frequency of this species in nature has declined considerably because of unscientific exploitation to meet the everincreasing demand of pharmaceutical sector. Podophyllum hexandrum has an increasing demand in national and international market because of more than double amount of podophyllotoxin content found in it, than P. peltatum (American Podophyllum). This article briefly reviews the botanical, medicinal, phytochemical, pharmacological, conservation, market and trade related aspects of the plant. An attempt has also been made to compile and document information on other aspect of Podophyllum hexandrum, other species of such as P. peltatum, P. sikkimenmsis and also highlight the need for its research and development.