Abstract

Gloriosa superba is a flowering plant belongs to Colchicaceae. It refers tofull of glory', and the superba refers 'superb' referring to the outstandingred and yellow flowers. G. superba is a highly toxic plant, due to thepresence of an alkaloid, 'Colchicine'. Adequate ingestion of this alkaloidcould cause fatalities to humans and animals. Despite its toxicity, G.superba considered as a medicinal plant because of its medicinalconstituents and properties such as colchicine, gloriosine, pungent, bitter,acrid, heating, anthelmintic, laxative, alexiteric, and abortifacient. G.superba utilized for the treatment of snakebite, scorpion stings, parasiticskin disease, urological pains, colic, chronic ulcers, piles, gonorrhoea, gout,infertility, wounds, arthritis, cholera, kidney problems, itching, leprosy,cancer, sexually transmitted disease, and countless other diseases. Thisplant listed under the threatened category due to its indiscreet reapingfrom the wild as medicinal industries widely use it for its colchicine content.Field study and secondary sources were used to abridge the information onthe recent advancement study of G. superba. In the present review, theinformation regarding the occurrence, botanical description, propagation,medicinal application pharmacological, ethnomedicinal, biological, andtoxicological studies of G. superba and its recent advancement has beensummarized. The detailed study of G. superba with current trends helps theresearcher to focus on the future development needed for its conservation.

Keywords: Gloriosa superba, pharmacognosy, ethnomedicine, toxicity.