Vol. 8, Issue 4 (2019)

Author(s):
Dr. Benazir Khanam, Prof. Wajeeha Begum and Dr. Fateh Ali Tipo

Abstract:
Traditional medicine has always maintained its popularity worldwide. In addition for more than a decade, there has been an increasing use of complementary and alternative medicine in many developed and developing countries. Unani medicine plays an important role in the treatment of various diseases. A lot of medicinal plants, traditionally used for thousands of years, Khurfa (Portulaca oleracea) is one of them and has its biological effect.The term Portulaca originates from Latin word “Portare” meaning to carry and “lac” meaning milk, referring to the milky sap of this plant. The species name oleracea originates from Latin, meaning, “pertaining to kitchen gardens, “referring to its use as a vegetable. It is widespread as a weed in temperate and tropical regions of the world and has been ranked the eighth most common weed plant in the world. Purslane has wide acceptability as a pot herb in Central Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean region. The plant khurfa consists of dried whole plant of Portulaca oleracea in Unani system of medicine and has several pharmacological activities like astringent, haemostatic, anti-hemorrhagic, analgesic hepato-protective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, bronchodilator, wound healing, neuro-protective, hypochloresterolemic and numerous extra biological actions. The objective of this review is to search literature for the pharmacological properties, phytochemical investigation, pharmacognostic studies and uses of khurfa (Portulaca oleracea L) in Unani system of medicine.