Abstract

Different medicinal plants and their medicinal values are widely used for various ailments throughout the world. Various chemical constituents isolated and characterized from Boraginaceous plant species are described. These included pyrrolizidine alkaloids, naphthaquinones, flavonoids, terpenoids, triterpenoids and phenols. Some important biological and pharmacological activities reported from various parts of plant species and from these plants, the isolated constituents demonstrated antimicrobial, antitumour, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, contraceptive, antiplatelet, wound healing and prostaglandin inhibitory. Some experiments on transformation have been done in Boraginaceous plants. The review article will therefore, give a critical overview of different phytochemicals and various medicinal properties belonging mainly to family Boraginaceae.

Key words: Boraginaceae, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, naphthaquinones, flavonoids, terpenoids, triterpenoids, phenols.