Abstract
Portulaca oleracea L. is a common weed distributed throughout the world. It has been used as nutrition and medicinal plant since thousands of years ago. This highly nutritious plant is used as vegetable in India, Persia and Europe. Both leaves and seeds are also used for medicinal purposes. The constituents reported in literature include carbohydrates, protein, fats, minerals and vitamins. Tannins, saponins, oxalate, urea, alkaloids, sitosterols, mono, di and triterpenes, phenolic compounds and omega-3 fatty acids are major phyto-constituents present in the plant. The plant is reported to possess many pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, hypocholesteremic, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, antimicrobial, wound healing, uterine bleeding control and wormicidal and insecticidal activities. The plant can be further investigated for other pharmacological activities as it contains variety of chemical constituents.
