Medicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and taxonomy of Poygonum aviculare L.: a comprehensive review

Polygonum aviculare is a plant widely distributed in all continents and very common in temperate regions of the world. The different parts of this plant are used as an anthelmintic, antidiabetic and to treat kidney disorders and skin problems. In order to highlight the importance of P. aviculare L., This review is undertaken with the aim to highlight some aspects of this plant, specifically the taxonomy, ethnomedicinal, morphological, phytochemical and biological studies of the plant. The taxonomic analysis indicated that the plant is descended from an inbred line and the cytogenetic results showed that P. aviculare L. is dominated by the number of chromosomes x = 10, therefore it was found that this herb has a rich phytochemical composition and many biological activities have been discussed in this review, mainly antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and dermato-protective activities. Graphical abstract