A Comprehensive Review of Peperomia pellucida: Chemical Composition, Traditional and Pharmacological Uses, and Potential in Dermatitis Management

Abstract

Peperomia pellucida has been used widely in ethnomedicine and many studies have been conducted on this plant. Locals have been using this plant in traditional medicine and consumed as food. This review summarized previous studies conducted on this plant, focusing on plant’s chemical composition, pharmaceutical and traditional uses, pharmacological activities and dermatitis management. P. pellucida contains phytochemical groups, namely alkaloids, tannins, resins, flavonoids, steroids, phenols and carbohydrates, while the nutritional and mineral profile revealed that the plant is rich in crude protein, carbohydrate and total ash content. Traditionally, this plant has been used to treat different medicinal conditions such as conjunctivitis, convulsions, fatigue, fever, headache, gout, rheumatic pains, skin diseases that include dermatitis, acnes and eczema, breast cancer and diabetic. Studies reported that the plant possesses  antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, and antioxidant activities. The natural pharmacological activities and active compounds in P. pellucida, namely tannins, saponins and flavonoids have been shown to help in managing dermatitis. This review concludes that P. pellucida can be utilized as a promising candidate for developing new therapeutic drug for the treatment of various diseases including dermatitis.