Phytochemistry, Traditional uses and Pharmacology of Rhododendron arboreum: A Review

The tree Rhododendron arboreum belongs to family Ericaceae. It is distributed in North America, Europe, Australia, Thailand, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Pakistan, China and Tibet. It is rich in various nutrients, minerals and used for various purposes such as refreshing drinks, food colouring agent, decorations and firewood. Traditionally, it is used for the treatment of blood dysentery, nasal bleeding, asthma, stomachache, blurry vision, fever, heart problems, diabetes, gout, coughs, piles and liver disorders. In this review, we have an attempt to highlight over Botany, ethnopharmacy, nutrition profile, Phytochemistry, biological activities and toxicity of Rhododendron arboreum reported so far. The phytochemical research on this plant led to the isolation of phenolics, triterpenoid, flavonols, flavonol glycosides and sterols. The crude extracts and isolated compounds of this plant exhibited various biological activities such as antidiabetic, adaptogenic, antidiarrheal, antiinflammatory, antinociceptive, antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial. Therefore, further studies should be carried on extracts and isolation of compounds, in order to explore the full potential of this plant.