Recent Update on the Pharmacological Significance of Isatis tinctoria L. (Brassicaceae) Extracts

Medicinal plant Isatis tinctoria L. is mentioned in Chinese herbal medicine to have a plethora of biological potencies. Monograph of Isatis tinctoria L. has been introduced in the European Pharmacopeia in 2011, thereby accepting its root in official European phytotherapy. The Isatis tinctoria L. extracts have been investigated to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, analgesic, and antioxidant activity; these were proved by in vitro and in vivo scientific studies. Further, phytochemical investigation revealed that the alkaloids including tryptanthrin, indirubin, indolinone, phenolic scaffolds, polysaccharides as well as glucosinolates, carotenoids, fatty acids, etc. are responsible for its vivid pharmacological activity. In addition, a lot of other chemical constituents of I. tinctoria L. are being identified, extracted and subsequently subjected these constituents for various pharmacological activities. Some of the previous reviews on I. tinctoria L. implicated tremendous biological utility of I. tinctoria L. toward prevention and treatment of a wide range of ailments. Having known the importance of the extracts of the I. tinctoria L., some of the pharmacological properties reported recently are compiled and discussed by taking consideration of the structural features of the constituents. Alongside this, the review research would aid in further investigation on advanced studies to be undertaken and research on phytochemicals of Isatis tinctoria L. Further, improvement in pharmacological properties may be expected from synthetic analogs of the isolated molecules.