PHYTOCHEMISTRY, STRUCTURE–ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIP, AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF ALKANNA TINCTORIA: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Navan Garg*, Neha Khatun

Alkanna tinctoria, commonly known as Ratanjot, is a medicinal herb widely recognized for its therapeutic efficacy in neurodegenerative diseases such as alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s disease, and vascular dementia. The present review summarizes the phytochemical composition, structure–activity relationship, pharmacological potential, and emerging clinical relevance of bioactive constituents isolated from this plant. Major phytocompounds including alkannin, shikonin, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and naphthoquinone derivatives exhibit significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, wound-healing, neuroprotective, and anticancer activities. Mechanistic investigations indicate that these compounds regulate important molecular pathways such as NF-κB, MAPK, and Nrf2/ARE signalling, thereby reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses associated with chronic diseases. Experimental and limited clinical studies suggest promising applications of Alkanna tinctoria in neurodegenerative disorders, skin regeneration, wound management, and pharmaceutical formulations. Despite encouraging findings, the available evidence is predominantly preclinical, and challenges related to toxicity, standardization, pharmacokinetics, and clinical validation remain unresolved. Present review highlights existing research gaps and future perspectives to support the development of safe, effective, and evidence-based therapeutic products derived from Alkanna tinctoria.