Review explores the medicinal uses of Orchis latifolia (panja herb)

Researchers at the National Institute of Unani Medicine in India reviewed the medicinal uses of Orchis latifolia, a plant cultivated in Europe, India and South Asia. Their report was published in The Journal of Phytopharmacology.

• O. latifolia, locally known as salabmisri, panja or salep, is a terrestrial herb that grows in between Western Himalaya and Kashmir.
• It has been used for centuries in Unani and Ayurvedic medicine and is one of the herbs known for promoting sexual health.
• Sometimes also called the Adam and Eve root, O. latifolia is considered an aphrodisiac and a nervine tonic by Unani physicians.
• O. latifolia is also used as a nutraceutical supplement by geriatric patients because of its high nutritive value.
• A kind of flour called salep is made from the ground tubers of O. latifolia and contains a nutritious starch-like polysaccharide called glucomannan.
• According to studies, O. latifolia has wonderful medicinal properties, such as hypolipidemic, antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory properties.
• It can reduce gastrointestinal irritation and promote rejuvenation in patients suffering from chronic diarrhea and bilious fevers.
• O. latifolia is also widely used for the treatment of syphilis, strangury, hemiplegia, dyspepsia, tuberculosis, debility and helminthiasis.
• Its medicinal properties can be attributed to its phytochemical content, which include phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids, coumarins and terpenoids.

This review highlights the potential clinical applications of O. latifolia.

Journal Reference:

Aisha Anjum A, Tabassum K, Ambar S. MEDICINAL PROPERTIES AND USES OF SALABMISRI (ORCHIS LATIFOLIA LINN): A LITERARY REVIEW. The Journal of Phytopharmacology. 2019;8(1):18-20. DOI: 10.31254/phyto.2019.8105