EXPLORATION OF INDIAN SARSAPARILLA HEMIDESMUS INDICUS (L.)

From the primordial times’ plants are standard as a chief resource for mankind. In the traditional system of medicine, Indian sarsaparilla Hemidesmus indicus (Family Asclepiadaceae) is a commonly well-known medicinal plant. This plant contains various phytoconstituents belonging to flavonoids, tannins, glycoside, sterols, and volatile oil. In the traditional system, the plant Hemidesmus indicus is used for loss of voice, cough, menstrual disorders, asthma, abdominal swelling, fever, skin diseases, ulceration due to syphilis and anthelmintic, etc. Aim and Objective: In this review article, we aim to represent an exhaustive update on the ethnobotanical review, phytoconstituents review, pharmacological review, toxicity study, and marketed formula. Materials and Method: Widely used international databases such s PubMed, Scopus, Google search, and JSTOR were searched, and various books like the flora of Orissa, Pharmacology of medicinal plant and natural product, the Indian meteria medica etc. were also searched. Result: Hemidesmus indicus played an important role in traditional Indian medicine. The important pharmacological uses of H. indicus are Anti-inflammatory, Anti-leprotic, Anti-oxidant, Anti-arthitic, Anti-microbial, Anti-diarroheal, woud healing, Anti-carcinogenic, Hypoglycemic activity. This review also represents a list of Ayurvedic marketed formulas where H. indicus an active ingredient. Conclusion: The studies represent an updated review on traditional, pharmacological, phytochemical feature on H. indicus with toxicity knowledge. The crude extract of H. indicus displays an array of pharmacological activities. Further, it also protects radiation including DNA damage. This plant is not widely utilized. Hence, this review was committed to exploring the hidden potential and many uses in the direction of mankind.