A Retrospective Review of Pereskia Bleo (Kunth) DC on its Properties and Preclinical Insights for Future Drug Discovery Trends

Abstract

Pereskia bleo (Kunth) DC, a leafy cactus, is a therapeutic plant indigenous in subtropical along with tropical regions. It is traditionally used as concoction from brewed leaves or eaten raw ‘ulam’. It is alleged to have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiulcer and antirheumatic properties and it is treated as alleviation for gastrointestinal pain, ulcers, headache, atopic dermatitis, haemorrhoids, and diabetes by locals. Numerous scientific studies have been done on characterizing the phytoconstituents and biological properties from plants belonging to the Cactaceae family, particularly Pereskia bleo. In this review the antimicrobial, antioxidant and antidiabetic findings and in vitro as well as in vivo pharmacological importance and traditional use of P. bleo has been covered that could be used in novel drug discovery.