A systematic review on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Dioscorea bulbifera L. (Dioscoreaceae).

• Dioscorea bulbifera L. is well known for its diverse chemical composition and medicinal applications. • This systemic review covers the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacological importance and toxicity of D. bulbifera L. • Various clinical studies included in this review validate the folk usage of this herb. • The findings presented herein provide a stepping stone for future investigations into the mechanism of action of the formulations or metabolites derived from it and delve into their potential as pharmaceutical agents. Dioscorea bulbifera L. (Dioscoreaceae) is extensively being used in African, Chinese and Indian traditional medicinal systems since ages. It is an ingredient in many herbal and Ayurvedic preparations that are used against various ailments. The current study is aimed to systematically review and document findings on ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, nutritive value and toxicity of the herb. The study is intended to overcome the inconsistency between the traditional and pharmacological applications of the herb concerning its folkloric use and offer novel insights for future researchers. The literature was systematically collected from various offline and online sources using relevant keywords. Electronic databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Springer Online, Research Gate, Scopus etc. were used to retrieve the relevant information. D. bulbifera L. is widespread in tropical and temperate regions of Asia, Africa and America. In traditional medicinal systems, it is used widely to cure sore throat, skin diseases, ulcers, boils, piles, pain, inflammation, dog bites, snake bites, food poisoning, asthma, cough, tuberculosis, cold, jaundice, malaria, typhoid of children, contraceptives, diabetes, ophthalmia, pink eye conjunctivitis etc. Among bioactive constituents, aglycone types of steroidal saponins dioscorin(e), dioscin(e), diosbulbin, and diosgenin possess significant biological activities. The chemical structures of the phytoconstituents presented in this review are drawn using ChemDraw Ultra software. The clinical studies included in this review have been performed to validate the folk usage of this herb. However, more studies are required to be done on scientific and clinical aspects to support its therapeutic applications. The updated information provided in this systematic review would open new perspectives for performing in-depth analysis of pharmacological research in future. The study would be useful for improving the clinical use of the herb and is surely going to bridge a gap between the traditional and modern use of scientific research for future researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]