A comprehensive review on phytochemistry, health benefits and therapeutic potential of Rhododendron arboreum Sm.

An important tree species found in hilly locations called Rhododendron arboreum Sm. is ethnobotanically, medicinally and economically significant. This tree is evergreen and bears blossoms that are a vibrant scarlet colour. The name "Rhododendron" comes from a Greek word "Rhodo" (which means "rose") and "Dendron" (which means "tree"). Currently, 80 species of Rhododendron are present in India, consist of 10 subspecies and 14 variations and a majority of taxa are found growing in high elevations of the Himalayas region between 1500 and 5500 meters. Plant is found in the Himalayas from the eastwards Kashmir to the Nagaland. It is well known for the flower juice served there under the name rhodo juice (sharbat). The goal of the current review is to shed light on the research about the therapeutic benefits of Rhododendron. Different tree sections exhibit distinct medicinal qualities and are used to treat various diseases. To learn more about the study done on the R. arboreum, a thorough search of internal databases including Google Scholar, Research Gate, Scopus and Science Direct was conducted. The existing research on R. arboreum's medicinal characteristics including its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, apoptogenic, antioxidant, immunodulatory, anticancer, antidiabetic and antidiarrheal properties is compiled in the current review. It draws attention to a few recent studies that discuss the varied functions of Rhododendrons.