ABSTRACT
Medicinal plants are the richest bioresources of drugs, pharmaceuticals, food supplements, and chemical precursors. These plants have been used in the Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Swa-riga (Tibetan) systems of medicine for a long time in India. Marsilea minuta is an aquatic pteridophyte in the family Marsileaceae. Different parts of this plant are used as antimicrobial, antitussive, anti-aggressive, antidepressant, antipyretic, analgesic, antidiabetic, and antitumour agents in Bengal and Jharkhand in India and Bangladesh. Its abundant availability and relatively low cost compared to prescribed drugs have made it popular as a sleep inducer and a treatment for mental disorders among rural people. Phytochemical analysis of the crude methanolic and aqueous extract of the leaves and stem of M. minuta showed the presence of various phytochemicals. Methanolic extract of the leaves contains more than 36 bioactive compounds including n-hexadecanoic acid; phytol; 2-cyclohexane-1-one,4-hydroxy-3,5,6-trimethyl-4; 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid; and 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecan-1-ol. Methanolic extract of the stems is also rich in bioactive compounds including 1,19-eicosadiene; n-hexadecanoic acid; 2(R)3(S)-1,2,3,4-butanetetrol; glycerine; octadecanoic acid; benzofurans; 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol; and 10-octadecenoic acid methyl ester. Many of these molecules have already been studied and have established roles in different pathophysiological conditions in humans. More studies and research on the new molecules will reveal the mechanisms underlying different physiological effects of M. minuta in the future. This chapter discusses the systemic position of M. minuta, the chemical components present in different parts of the plant, and its ethnobotanical and pharmacological uses.
