DISTINCTIVE PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF Eclipta alba AND IT’S COUMESTAN WEDELOLACTONE

Eclipta alba Linn. (Eclipta prostrata) is a perennial herb belongs to the family Asteraceae which is widespread all over the world especially in south Asian countries like India, Nepal, China and Thailand. Because of its numerous pharmacological activities, it is used in Siddha, Unani and Ayurveda to treat skin infections, headache, toothache and other such ailments. It possess anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, anti-osteoporotic, anti-cancer and hepatoprotective activities due to the phytochemicals like dimethyl wedelolactone and wedelolactone present in it. The coumestan wedelolactone has potent activity against human pathogens like Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E.coli and Salmonella typhi. We pen down this reviewto investigate the predominant pharmacological activities of coumestan wedelolactone. Key words: Eclipta alba , Coumestan, Wedelolactone, Hepatoprotective, anticancer, anti-fibrotic.