ABSTRACT
Dianthus plants are evergreen perennials and distributed in Europe, Africa, South America, and the Middle East. The plants are used to treat throat and gum infections and wounds also used as cardiotonic, diaphoretic, alexiteric, and vermifuge agents. In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean medicine systems, it is used to treat wounds and gastrointestinal complaints. The flowers are alexiteric, antispasmodic, cardiotonic, diaphoretic, and nervine agents. Tricyclene, α-pinene, camphene, β-pinene, phellandrene, Pcymene, limonene, elemol, citronellol, bornyl acetate, eugenol, methyl eugenol, apigenin-C-glycoside, kaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside, kaemp-ferol 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside, peltatoside (3-[6-O-(α-L-arabinopyranosyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl] quercetin, 3,5-Di-O-(β-glucopyranosyl) pelargonidin 6”-O-4,6”‘-O-L-cyclic malate and cyanidin equivalent, and 3,5-di-O-(β-glucopyranosyl) cyanidin 6”-O-4,6”‘-O-L-cyclic malate have been reported from Dianthus plants. Different species of the Dianthus genus possess anticancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, insecticidal, antioxidant, and renoprotective effects. The chapter describes ethnomedicinal uses, phytoconstituents, pharmacological applications, and culture conditions of Dianthus plants.
