Ethnobotanical review of Hemidesmus indicus R.Br.

The use of medicinal properties of plant is called herbal medicine. Plants have the ability to synthesize a wide variety of chemical compounds that are used to perform important biological functions and to defense against attack from insect, fungi, bacteria etc. Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. is being used widely in ayurvedic medicine. The roots have a sweet smell like camphor. Medicinal plants are being widely used, either as single drug or in combination in health care delivery system. Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. is the most widely used traditionally and has been distributed by humans throughout the tropics. Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. is used for treatment of cancer, viral, lithic, hypotensive, fungal, bacterial and also used in diabetes. With all these potential benefits, this plant is not widely utilized. The most useful part of Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. is root which shows different activity like antimicrobial activity, anti-enterobacterial activity, anti-acne activity, anti-oxidant activity, natriuretic and saliuretic activity, renoprotective activity, anti inflammatory activity, anti-venom activity.