Bioactive Compounds and Biological Activities of Indian Shot (Canna indica L.)

The plant Canna indica has been a source of food ingredients and medicine in different tropical and subtropical regions of the globe. In folklore medicine, each plant part of Canna indica has been documented for its effectiveness in treating common diseases such as fever, suppuration, malaria, diarrhea, and dropsy. The bioactive secondary metabolites from the rhizomes, leaves, and flowers of Canna indica in crude or purified form have been exclusively studied for their biological functions such as antioxidative, antidiabetic, enzyme inhibitory, anthelmintic, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities. The rhizomes, endowed with phenolics, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and nutraceuticals, are rich sources of functional food and drug ingredients that have health-beneficial effects. Flowers possessing anthocyanins and antioxidant phytochemicals have potential applications in food industries. This chapter describes the studied biological activities, therapeutic properties, and individual bioactive chemical profiling concerning their pharmacological acceptance and drug safety.