Ageratum conyzoides: A Potential Source for Medicinal and Agricultural Products

Abstract

Ageratum conyzoides is a widely spread weed, especially in the tropical and subtropical regions. It has been reported to be used as folk medicine in different countries for treating burns, wounds, skin disorders, headaches, fever, pneumonia, gynecological diseases, leprosy, snakebites, rheumatism, inflammations, stomach ailments like parasites, colic, diarrhea, dysentery, used as a painkiller during childbirth, and many more. It has been reported to contain active secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, tannins, phenols, saponins, coumarins, essential oils, and flavonoids, which support its medicinal uses in disease treatment and prevention. It can be a potential source of drugs for various diseases. In fact, pharmaceutical companies are being run in Brazil using A. conyzoides as raw material with recommendations from the Brazilian Drug Centre. It is also used for agricultural purposes as manure, insecticide, pesticide, herbicide, nematicide, fodder, etc. In China, it is widely intercropped in the citrus orchard to control pests and weeds. The review attempts to bring together medicinal and agricultural usage of Ageratum conyzoides with scientific evidence to demonstrate its efficacy. This weed has a negative influence in agriculture and the ecosystem but after studying about its potential medical and agricultural uses, we now have a different viewpoint on this weed, and we believe that further harnessing it for such positive uses might be a management strategy for this weed.