A comprehensive review on ethno-pharmacological and phytochemical properties of selected species of genus Ophioglossum

There are roughly 100 species of Ophioglossum, Helminthostachys, Cheiroglossa, and Botrychium in the family Ophioglossaceae, which consists of these four genera. Due to the numerous therapeutic benefits of the phytochemical compositions found in Ophioglossum species, these plants are frequently utilized to cure a variety of ailments. This review includes a thorough analysis of the Ethnomedicines, phytochemistry, and pharmacological uses of the genus Ophioglossum, a member of the Ophioglossaceae family that includes 45–50 recognized species and is well known for its wide range of traditional uses, including food, folk medicine, wound healing, menstrual disorders, tissue repair properties, skin ulcers, anti-wrinkling, epistaxis, aphrodisiac, eye blepharitis. A thorough literature search from this study was conducted using several web searches as well as online records, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar etc. This genus demonstrates distinct benefits in both medicine and food. Ophioglossum species have been found to contain bioactive substances like flavonoids, homoflavonoids, flavonols, rhamnopyranoside, kaempferol total phenolics, proxy fatty acids, thermalic acids, ophioglonol, glucopyranoside, and pedunculosumosides that are responsible for the spectacular biological activities that have been observed in them including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-HBV activity, wound healing, Insecticidal property, Alopecia treatment antidiarrheal and spasmolytic effect. This review discusses the significance of various Ophioglossum species in terms of their traditional medicinal applications, phytochemical makeup, and prospective pharmacological activities. In terms of pharmacology, this genus is less studied than other ferns because some of its species are rare. Therefore, more research should concentrate on the preservation, cultivation, and sustainable use of Ophioglossum species. Additionally, there is a humungous need to investigate this genus' biological activities.