A Review on the Phytochemistry, Ethnobotanical Uses and Pharmacology of Borago Species

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Borago L., (family Boraginaceae) is a small genus of annual or perennial herbs with branched flowers, which is commonly found in the Mediterranean region. Some species known as Gavzabân in Asian and some African countries are traditionally used instead of Borago. Aims of the review: The purpose of this study was to provide comprehensive scientific information on phytochemistry, traditional uses and pharmacological activities of Borago species to provide an insight into further research on the therapeutic potential of these plants. In many studies, it has been shown that different parts of Borago species, including leaves, flowers, seeds, roots and aerial parts possess numerous ethnobotanical values. Materials and methods: All ethnobotanical, phytochemical, pharmacological, and clinical data were collected from online journals, magazines and books (all of which were published in English, Arabic, and Persian) from 1968 to 2018. Electronic databases such as Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Researchgate, and other online collections were used. Results: The phytochemical studies on five species showed a wide range of phytochemicals belonging to different classes of secondary metabolites. From a pharmacological point of view, different extracts and fractions, essential oils, and pure compounds isolated from various Borago species have shown diverse activities in in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies confirming various traditional uses of Borago genus. Conclusion: Considering the reported activities of the Borago genus both in traditional and modern medicine, further studies on biological aspects and identification of the mechanism of action for drug discovery are highly required.