RECENT DEVELOPMENT FOR THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF PEDALIUM MUREX IN THEIR FUTURE PROSPECTS

Abstract

Pedalium murex, commonly known as large caltrops, is a plant species that belongs to the family Pedaliaceae. It is an underutilized medicinal herb that has multiple uses in traditional medicine, particularly in the treatment of reproductive disorders, urinary and gastrointestinal tract disorders. The herb is native to India and Africa, and its fruits, known as 'Gokhru,' are widely used in Ayurveda for their aphrodisiac properties and urological disorder treatment. The use of Pedalium murex in traditional medicine has been well documented. It is primarily used to cure reproductive disorders such as impotency in men, nocturnal emissions, gonorrhoea, and leucorrhoea in women. Additionally, it is also useful in the treatment of urinary and gastrointestinal tract disorders. However, despite the widespread use of the herb in traditional medicine, its detailed scientific evaluation is still unexplored. One of the most significant challenges associated with the propagation of Pedalium murex is the difficulty of extracting the seeds from the fruit. The fruits of Pedalium murex are four-angled, indehiscent, and hard pyramidal, with four sharp spines. The hard, spiny exterior makes it difficult to extract the seeds, and there is no standardized germination test for Pedalium murex seeds.The development of a standardized germination test is a crucial requirement for seed sale labeling, and it would enable better propagation of Pedalium murex. Propagation through seed is one of the primary methods of propagation for the herb, and a standardized germination test would ensure that the seeds sold are of high quality.