Verbesina encelioides: Perspective and potentials of a noxious weed

Abstract

Verbesina encelioides (Cav.) Benth. & Hook. Fil ex Gray (Asteraceae) regarded as a notorious weed and an ornamental garden plant has found various uses in folk medicine in different parts of the world. This plant possesses analgesic, emetic, febrifuge and insecticidal actions but is mildly toxic to small ruminants, which is attributed to the relative amount of galegine. V. encelioides also produces a number of metabolites like flavonoids, terpenoids, sesquiterpenes and essential oils, etc. in appreciable yields. Some of these compounds have exhibited significant antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumour, hypoglycaemic, antiimplantation and antiinflammatory activities. The paper is an overview of the potential utilization of V. encelioides, which is otherwise a well known weed.