Plumbagin: A Potential Candidate for Future Research and Development

Plumbagin has gained a lot of attention in research due to its various therapeutic actions. It is a secondary metabolite obtained from different plant families, such as Plumbaginaceae, Droseraceae, and Ebenceae. Various studies on plumbagin have revealed that it is a natural gift for mankind in treating chronic diseases, like cancer, diabetes, malaria, bacterial infection, and controlling cardiovascular disease. However, there are several challenges in developing plumbagin as a therapeutic agent. The first and foremost is its limited solubility and oral bioavailability. The second limitation is its toxicity. Plumbagin has a narrow therapeutic window, and literature reveals that the compound has moderate toxicity in animals. However, data are insufficient to prove that plumbagin is unsafe for humans. Despite the many therapeutic benefits of plumbagin, it remains unexploited for mankind. Thus, a systematic review of its toxicity, pharmacology, and safety is required to be performed. This review work signifies the depth of therapeutic applications proven via research, its different modes of isolation and separation of chemical constituents, and its modification. A thorough review of promising therapeutic targets via docking studies is also presented. Different methods used to quantify plumbagin from the plant are reviewed. An overview of attempts to design novel formulations which could enhance its bioavailability is also presented. The review paper will help the scientist to exploit the drug to its optimum, which will help to overcome the challenges faced during its design and developmental stages.