The plant kingdom, one of the main life-supporting systems, was a gift from nature to the planet. The distribution of medicinal plants varies depending on the geographical zones around the world. Certain medicinal plants have huge potential for distribution, while others such as Coptis teeta, are gradually losing their natural habitat and facing extinction. The non-timber forest plant Coptis teeta is primarily found in northwest Yunnan (China), Bhutan, and northeast India, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh’s temperate zones. The rhizome of this plant is well-known in Chinese and North East Indian traditional medicine for preventing and treating a variety of human illnesses. According to numerous reports and studies, Coptis teeta includes a number of alkaloids, such as berberine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, coptisine, columbamine, and epiberberine, as well as secondary metabolites, lignans, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, saccharides, and steroids. In order to improve drug quality assessment and management, numerous high-content components in Coptis extracts will be studied qualitatively and quantitatively. Due to its diverse nature and extensive range of pharmacological actions, Coptis teeta cultivation and multiplication should be done with care and patience. This review’s goals are to summarise the present level of knowledge regarding the Coptis teeta plant, outline its pharmacological functions, and identify the causes of its extinction.
Coptis teeta, secondary metabolites, traditional medicine, Berberine