Author(s):
Pranjali Namdevrao Bansod, Pankaj Prabhakar Dhone, Pranav Namdevrao Bansod
Email(s):
pranjlibansod15@gmail.com
DOI:
10.52711/0975-4385.2026.00051 
Address:
Pranjali Namdevrao Bansod*, Pankaj Prabhakar Dhone, Pranav Namdevrao Bansod
Department of Pharmacology, Vidyabharati College of Pharmacy Amravati, 444601, Maharashtra, India.
*Corresponding Author
Published In:
Volume - 18,
Issue - 4,
Year - 2026
ABSTRACT:
Fagonia arabica L. (Zygophyllaceae), commonly known as Dhamasa, is an important medicinal plant widely used in Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine for the management of inflammatory, infectious, hepatic, neurological, and metabolic disorders. The plant contains several bioactive constituents including flavonoids, triterpenoid saponins, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and glycosides that contribute to its diverse pharmacological activities. Experimental studies have reported antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, thrombolytic, neuroprotective, and anticancer properties of different extracts of F. arabica. Recent phytochemical and molecular investigations suggest that its metabolites may interact with multiple biological targets involved in oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways. In addition, emerging formulation approaches such as nanoformulations and liposomal delivery systems have been explored to improve the bioavailability of plant-derived compounds. This review summarizes the botanical profile, phytochemistry, traditional uses, pharmacological activities, and future therapeutic potential of Fagonia arabica based on currently available scientific evidence. The review also highlights existing research gaps and the need for further standardization and clinical investigations to support its safe and effective therapeutic application.
Cite this article:
Pranjali Namdevrao Bansod, Pankaj Prabhakar Dhone, Pranav Namdevrao Bansod. Fagonia arabica: Phytochemical Profile, Pharmacological Activities, and Therapeutic Perspectives. Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 2026; 18(4):359-4. doi: 10.52711/0975-4385.2026.00051
Cite(Electronic):
Pranjali Namdevrao Bansod, Pankaj Prabhakar Dhone, Pranav Namdevrao Bansod. Fagonia arabica: Phytochemical Profile, Pharmacological Activities, and Therapeutic Perspectives. Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 2026; 18(4):359-4. doi: 10.52711/0975-4385.2026.00051 Available on: https://www.rjpponline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2026-18-4-7
REFERENCES:
1. Prasad S, Kashyap RS, Deopujari JY, Purohit HJ, Taori GM, Daginawala HF. Effect of Fagonia arabica (Dhamasa) on in vitro thrombolysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2007; 7:36.
2. Chourasia SR, Kashyap RS, Purohit HJ, Deopujari JY, Taori GM, Daginawala HF. In-vitro clot lytic potential of Fagonia arabica: A comparative study of two methods. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis. 2011; 22:288-94
3. Aloni P, Nayak AR, Chaurasia SR, Deopujari JY, Chourasia C, Purohit HJ, et al. Effect of Fagonia arabica on thrombin induced release of t-PA and complex of PAI-1 tPA in cultured HUVE cells. J Tradit Complement Med. 2016; 6:219-23
4. Hussain AI, Rathore HA, Iftikhar N, Chatha SA, Ahmad T, Ali Q. Fagonia arabica L.: A review of its phytochemistry, pharmacology and traditional uses. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen. 2022; 25:1187-99.[1]
5. Shad AA, Shah H, Khattak FK, Dar NG, Bakht J. Proximate and mineral constituents of medicinal herb Fagonia arabica. Asian J Plant Sci. 2002; 1:710-1.
6. Rizvi MA, Ahmad L, Sarwar GR. Wild medicinal plants of Madinat Al-Hikmah and its adjacent areas. Hamdard Medicus. 1996; 39:8-10.
7. N.R. Farnsworth, D. Soejarto. (1991). Global importance of medicinal plants. The conservation of medicinal plants. 26: 25-51.
8. Ageely H, Suneet K, Gupta BR. Review of ethnomedicinal plant Fagonia. Int J Pharm Appl. 2014; 5:22-8.
9. Walbi IA, Alshabi AM, Alkahtani SA, Shaikh IA, Abdel-Wahab BA, Khateeb MM, et al. A preliminary cytotoxicity study of Fagonia arabica against breast (MCF-7), oral (KB-3-1), and lung cancer (A-549) cell lines: A study supported by molecular marker analysis using dual staining dyes. Separations. 2023; 10:110
10. A.A. Eman, H.A. Gehan, M. Yassin, S. Mohamed. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity studies on callus of Fagonia arabica L. Academia Arena. 2010; 2(12): 91-106.
11. Satpute R, Bhattacharya R, Kashyap RS, Purohit HJ, Deopujari JY, Taori GM, Daginawala HF. Antioxidant potential of Fagonia arabica against the chemical ischemia-induced in PC12 cells. Iran J Pharm Res. 2012; 11(1): 303-13. PMID: 24250453; PMCID: PMC3813090 [6] 4
12. Rizvi MA, Ahmad L, Sarwar GR. Wild medicinal plants of Madinat Al-Hikmah and its adjacent areas. Hamdard Medicus. 1996; 39:8-10.
13. Miyase T, Melek FR, El-Gindi OD, Abdel-Khalik SM, El-Gindi MR, Haggag MY. Saponins from Fagonia arabica. Phytochemistry. 1996; 41(4): 1175-9.
14. El-Hadidi MN, Saleh NAM. The flavonoids of the Fagonia arabica complex. Phytochemistry. 1986; 25(10): 2423-4. Bakheit AH. Morphological, phytochemical and biological screening on Fagonia arabica L. var. viscidissima. Science Pub. 2013.
15. Mahmoud NN. Insight into the biological activities of Fagonia Arabica L. Medicinal Plant Research. 2025
16. Shaikh IA, Singh GK, Satpute R. Medicinal properties, therapeutic potential, and adaptive features of Fagonia arabica: A review. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutics. 2024; 18(3): 682-693.
17. Iftikhar, N., Chatha, S. A. S., Ahmad, T., Ali, Q., Hussain, A. I., and Rathore, H. A. Fagonia arabica L.: A Review of its Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Traditional Uses. Combinatorial Chemistry and High Throughput Screening. 2022; 25(7): 1187–1199.
18. I.A. Saleh. Anti-inflammatory and wound healing activity of Fagonia schweinfurthii alcoholic extract herbal gel on albino rats. 2011.
19. A.V. Krishnaraju, T.V. Rao, D. Sundararaju, M. Vanisree, H.-S. Tsay, G.V. Subbaraju. Biological screening of medicinal plants collected from Eastern Ghats of India using Artemia salina (brine shrimp test). Int. J. Appl. Sci. Eng. 2006; 4(2): 115-125. [10]
20. S. Prasad, R.S. Kashyap, J.Y. Deopujari, H.J. Purohit, G.M. Taori, H.F. Daginawala. Effect of Fagonia Arabica (Dhamasa) on in vitro thrombolysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2007; 7(1): 1.
21. Shaikh IA, et al. Medicinal properties and therapeutic potential of Fagonia arabica. Asian J Pharm. 2024; 18(3): 682-94.
22. Dilshad R, Batool R. Antibacterial and antioxidant potential of Ziziphus jujube, Fagonia arabica, Mallotus phillipensis and Hemidesmus indicus. Jordan J Pharm Sci. 2022; 15: 413-27.
23. I.A. Saleh. Anti-inflammatory and wound healing activity of Fagonia schweinfurthii alcoholic extract herbal gel on albino rats. 2011.
24. Ahmad ES, Girgis SM, Kassem S, Shoman TM, Hassanane MS. Fagonia arabica extract ameliorate the mutagenic and biochemical effects of antitumor drug mitomycin C in male mice. Res J Pharm Biol Chem Sci. 2016; 7: 878.
25. Farheen R, Mahmood I, Parveen R, Anwar KF. Review on medicinal and bioactive role of genus Fagonia. Review on medicinal and bioactive role of genus Fagonia. FUUAST J Biol. 2017; 7: 33-6.
26. A.V. Krishnaraju, T.V. Rao, D. Sundararaju, M. Vanisree, H.-S. Tsay, G.V. Subbaraju. Biological screening of medicinal plants collected from Eastern Ghats of India using Artemia salina (brine shrimp test). Int. J. Appl. Sci. Eng. 2006; 4(2): 115-125.
27. Iqbal P, Ahmed D, Asghar MN. A comparative in vitro antioxidant potential profile of extracts from different parts of Fagonia cretica. Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2014; 7S1: S473-80.
28. Anjum I. Flavonoids and alkaloids from Fagonia arabica with their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Phytochemistry. 2014;100:199-204
29. S. Prasad, R.S. Kashyap, J.Y. Deopujari, H.J. Purohit, G.M. Taori, H.F. Daginawala. Effect of Fagonia Arabica (Dhamasa) on in vitro thrombolysis. BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine. 2007; 7(1): 1.
30. Waseem H, et al. Phytochemical and biological evaluation of Fagonia species. World J Pharm Pharm Sci. 2024; 13(12): 1324-1335.
31. Prasad S, Kashyap RS, Deopujari JY, Purohit HJ, Taori GM, Daginawala HF. Effect of Fagonia Arabica (Dhamasa) on in vitro thrombolysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2007 Nov 6; 7(1).
32. Andrew R, Izzo AA. Principles of pharmacological research of nutraceuticals. Br J Pharmacol. 2017; 174: 1177-94.
33. Shaikh IA, Singh GK, Satpute R. Medicinal properties, therapeutic potential, and adaptive features of Fagonia arabica: A review. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutics. 2024; 18(3): 682–693.
34. Mahmoud NN. Biological activities and phytotherapeutic potential of Fagonia arabica: Recent advances and future directions. Medicinal Plant Research. 2025.
35. Walbi IA, Alshabi AM, Alkahtani SA, et al. Cytotoxic potential of Fagonia arabica against human cancer cell lines supported by molecular marker analysis. Separations. 2023; 10: 110