Phytochemistry, ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activity of Diodia scandens; a review of current scientific literature

ABSTRACT Plants are natural sources of readily available phytochemicals which possesses interesting biological activities. The plant Diodia scandens is a creeping and straggling perennial herb commonly dispersed in tropical Africa, tropical Asia and some parts of Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria. It is used traditionally in the treatment of several disease conditions such as snake bites, rheumatic inflammatory disorders, earache, venereal diseases, hypertension and epilepsy. It is also used as an aphrodisiac and in the treatment of uterine inertia and postpartum hemorrhage. Despite its vast traditional uses, a comprehensive information on the plant is still lacking. In this review, we aimed to provide concise information on reported ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of Diodia scandens to support its traditional usage in exploring its therapeutic potentials. Available information about the plant was retrieved from online databases including PubMed and Google Scholar using the search terms ‘Diodia scandens’, ‘ethnomedicinal uses and Diodia scandens’, ‘phytochemistry and Diodia scandens’ and ‘pharmacological activity and Diodia scandens’. The available literatures supported several ethnobotanical claims on the use of D. scandens in traditional medicine. Other claims not yet scientifically verified should be explored to ascertain the veracity of such claims on its therapeutic potentials.