Phytochemistry and pharmacology of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC: a review

Objectives Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC is an important medicinal plant native to tropical and sub-tropical areas belonging to Fabaceae family of genus Dalbergia commonly called as Sheesham. It is a source of multiple bioactive metabolites that have the potential to be used as promising candidates for drug development in the near future. Nevertheless, the maximum potential of the species is still has not been explored. The objective of this review is to present an up-to-date description of the phytochemistry, traditional uses and pharmacological potential of D. sissoo. Methods The review comprises literature survey from 1971 to 2022. The search terms 'Dalbergia sissoo' and 'phytochemistry' OR 'Pharmacological' OR 'activity' were used in the online databases Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, Wiley-Blackwell, Springer Link and Web of Science. Key findings A comprehensive literature review has shown that flavonoids, glycosides, polysaccharides (gums) constitute important classes of phytoconstituent of this plant. Significant anti-inflammatory, antidiarrhoeal, antioxidant, antidiabetic, osteogenic, antibacterial, anthelmintic, antimicrobial, gastroprotective, cardioprotective, neuroprotective and reproductive actions have been reported in pharmacological database studies. The current review offers up-to-date information that might drive the researchers to conduct extensive research. Various pharmacological activities have been shown by in vitro and in vivo investigations. Future studies on D. sissoo would be emphasized to discover the links between bioactive metabolites, pharmacological activity and traditional uses.