review · Chemistry & Biodiversity
Mikania micrantha has a history of traditional use for conditions such as insect bites, skin rashes, wounds, fevers, and respiratory disorders. A review of fifty-three published scientific records evaluated its ethnobotanical applications, chemical constituents, and biological activities. The analysis showed that the fresh leaves and the whole plant are commonly utilised in folk medicine. Phytochemical investigations have identified more than 150 distinct compounds, including essential oils, phenolics, flavonoids, terpenes, and glycosides, alongside vitamins and minerals. The plant demonstrates diverse pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, wound-healing, and antidiabetic activities. However, no clinical studies have been conducted so far. Further investigations in experimental animals are necessary to verify safety profiles and clarify specific mechanisms of action before human trials can begin.
Traditional medicinal plants remain an important source of potential pharmaceutical leads. By collating the known phytochemical profiles and biological properties of Mikania micrantha, this work clarifies the scientific basis for its traditional medicinal uses. It also highlights essential evidence gaps, demonstrating what safety assessments and mechanistic evaluations are required before these natural compounds can be developed into validated therapeutic solutions.
The findings are relevant to early-stage pharmaceutical and phytomedicine developers targeting treatments for infections, wounds, inflammation, and metabolic disorders. Commercial application remains distant because the research is strictly at the pre-clinical stage. With no clinical trials reported to date, extensive safety profiling in animal models and mechanistic validations must be conducted before any practical drug formulation or human testing can take place.
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Mikania micrantha is utilized as a therapeutic for the treatment of various human ailments including insect bites, rashes and itches of skin, chicken pox, healing of sores and wounds, colds and fever, nausea, jaundice, rheumatism, and respiratory ailments. This study aimed at summarizing the traditional uses, phytochemical profile, and biological activities of M. micrantha based on obtainable information screened from different databases. An up-to-date search was performed on M. micrantha in PubMed, Science Direct, clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases with specific keywords. No language restrictions were imposed. Published articles, theses, seminar/conference papers, abstracts, and books on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacological evidence were considered. Based on the inclusion criteria, this study includes 53 published records from the above-mentioned databases. The results suggest that fresh leaves and whole plant are frequently used in folk medicine. The plant contains more than 150 different phytochemicals under the following groups: essential oils, phenolics and flavonoids, terpenes, terpene lactones, glycosides, and sulfated flavonoids. It contains carbohydrates and micronutrients including vitamins and major and trace minerals. M. micrantha possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-dermatophytic, anti-protozoal, anthelmintic, cytotoxic, anxiolytic, anti-diabetic, lipid-lowering and antidiabetic, spasmolytic, memory-enhancing, wound-healing, anti-aging, and thrombolytic activities. No clinical studies have been reported to date. M. micrantha might be one of the potential sources of phytotherapeutic compounds against diverse ailments in humans. Studies are required to confirm its safety profile in experimental animals prior to initiating clinical trials. Moreover, adequate investigation is also crucial to clarify exact mechanism of action for each biological effect.
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DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202300392
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