Experimental validation of the hepatoprotective and anticancer properties of Vernonia amygdalina: A review

Abstract

Cancer and hepatic disorders are two important health problems of community health enhanced by metabolic and genetic disposition of individuals. Vernonia amygdalina (VA) is a medicinal shrub useful for the treatment of various diseases including cancer and liver diseases. It is often utilised as edible vegetable. This review aims at logically
examining experimental evidences supporting the use of V. amygdalina in folklore medicine. Several databases including MEDLINE and ‘Google search engine’ were used to retrieve recent information on V. amygdalina uses in ethnomedicine. Selection of literature and abstracts was done randomly by authors on the basis of their relevance to the immediate review. Search yielded 512 results; critical appraisal of results reduced the
tally to 6 for anticancer properties and 5 for hepatoprotective studies respectively. Their therapeutic potencies had relevance with phytochemical content of V. amygdalina. The experimental results support the widely accepted hepatoprotective and anticancer properties of V. amygdalina in traditional medicine.