An Overview of Paris polyphylla, a Highly Vulnerable Medicinal Herb of Eastern Himalayan Region for Sustainable Exploitation

Background: Paris polyphylla has been traditionally used in China, India and Nepal to relieve various ailments such as antidote for snake bites, insect poison, relieving wounds, sore throat, etc. P. polyphylla like many plants in nature contains numerous potential bioactive compounds. Such bioactive compounds of the herb that have significant biological activities such as anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral need to be validated and augmented with many assays. Objective: The objective of this paper is to compile the major research works of the herb and updates information on its developments and approaches that have been rapidly taking place in recent years, so that further novel research can be envisaged. Methods: The published reviews act as the first catalyst and initiator to delve on the studies done so far about this medicinal herb. The research about the plant such as classification, micropropagation, phytochemisty, and bioactivity was investigated from papers that were reported from index journals. Results: New compounds such as paristenosides A and B are being added to the existing known compounds. There are new high-throughput approaches in the classification of the plant and micropropagation. The traditional uses of the herb are being validated through different bioactivity assays. Conclusion: The continuous research that is being carried out on this herb implies that the depth of knowledge about the plant is gradually consolidated and the mechanism of the bioactive compounds derived is slowly comprehended.