Review for Costus specciosus (Koen.) Sm., Costaceae family.

Abstract

Herbal medicines have played a critical role in the treatment and prevention of
some diseases. Among a diversity of natural medicinal sources, Costus specciosus (Koen.)
Sm. is an outstanding plant broadly distributed in tropical regions. C. specciosus has many
biological activities, and it has been used in traditional medicine for treating various
illnesses. This review article focuses to enhance and prepare a comprehensive review on
phytochemical and pharmacological studies of C. specciosus, and aims to lay the
foundation for further study on the extraction enhancement of these biomolecules and more
useful formulations. Based on published scientific data, these plants may suggest a gigantic
biological potential of an abundant source of chemical constituents and a variety of
bioactivities contributing to therapeutic values.