Chromolaena odorata Linn: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF MEDICINAL PROPERTIES AND PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Sundhararajan R., Sanjukta Sainath Singh*, K. Gayathri

Chromolaena odorata Linn. (Asteraceae), popularly known as Siam weed, is a medicinally important plant extensively employed in indigenous healthcare systems for the treatment of wounds, infectious conditions, inflammatory disorders, and metabolic ailments. This review critically summarizes available experimental and preclinical evidence on the ethnomedicinal relevance, phytochemical profile, and pharmacological properties of C. odorata. Phytochemical studies have identified a wide range of bioactive constituents, including flavonoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, and volatile oils, which are considered responsible for its therapeutic actions. Pharmacological investigations report diverse biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and wound-healing effects, with wound management being the most extensively explored application. Additional activities, including hepatoprotective, anticancer, antipyretic, and insecticidal effects, have also been documented. Toxicological findings suggest dose-dependent safety concerns, highlighting the necessity for rigorous toxicity evaluation. Collectively, the available evidence emphasizes the medicinal potential of Chromolaena odorata and supports the need for future research on bioactive compound isolation, mechanistic elucidation, clinical validation, and detailed safety assessment.