A systematic review on ethnobotanical and pharmacological aspects of croton plant Codiaeum variegatum (L.)

Codiaeum variegatum (L.) known as garden croton, is a vibrant decorative plant, often identified as variegated laurel. It belongs to Euphorbiaceae, a spurge family plant with colourful leaves. Traditionally, the leaves of the Codiaeum species were used to treat a variety of ailments, including cancer, constipation, diabetes, digestive issues, external wounds, diarrhoea, fever, inflammation, intestinal worms, hypercholesterolemia, malaria, pain, ulcers, and weight loss. The juice of plant leaves induce menstruation. So, it can also be used to induce abortion. The root extract is used to relieve stomach ache and tooth ache. The leaves and shoots of the plant are reported to have varied chemical constituents like cardiac glycosides, saponins, tannins, cardenolides, flavonoids and steroids, which are responsible for the mentioned pharmacological activities. The goal of this article is to explore the botanical diversity, the pharmacological profile of C. variegatum as well as its chemical constituents. Variegatum (L.) is a well-known medicinal plant with nutritional and therapeutic uses, according to scientific studies. Given that, ornamental plants are an extraordinarily rich source of bioactive chemicals, more study might open the door to the development of value-added products to treat contemporary ailments.