Ethnopharmacological and Biotechnological Significance of Vitex

Abstract

Vitex (Verbenaceae) is a large genus that has a plethora of ethnopharmacological uses. The various species of Vitex have been used to treat a range of human ailments, particularly related to insects, fungi, bacteria, snakes and poisonous spiders and diseases associated with menstruation and gynaecological problems. Several secondary metabolites like flavonoids, iridoid glycosides, terpenoids and labdane diterpenes have been reported in different species of Vitex. Vitex trifolia and Vitex negundo can be propagated vegetatively for cultivation on desecrated lands to produce huge biomass for commercial applications. This review emphasizes the phytochemical and ethnobotanical knowledge on some species of Vitex to highlight their traditional and modern usage.