​Ethanomedicine and Pharmacology of Semal (Bombax ceiba L.)- A Indian Medicinal Plant: A Review

Bombax ceiba L. is valuable herb in the ayurvedic and traditional systems of medicine. In traditional system of drugs various plant parts and exudates are used as medicine. On the basis of literature survey, plant is found to be beneficial as astringent, cooling, stimulant, diuretic, aphrodisiac, demulcent, dysentery, tonic and also useful in the treatment of asthma, diarrhea, wound healing, leucorrhea, anemia and tuberculosis. Apart from these, it is also reported as anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective, anticancer and anti-HIV activity, anti-helicobacter pylori activity, antiangiogenic activity, analgesic and antioxidant activity, inhibitory effects on tube-like formation of human umbilical venous cells, hypotensive, hypoglycemic activity, cholinesterase and antimicrobial activity. This review is an attempt to discuss the various pharmacognosy, ethnomedicinal, pharmacology and traditional uses along with reported phytochemical and pharmacological activities of Bombax ceiba.

A Critical Review on the Unexplored Therapeutic Treasure of Himalayan Ayurvedic Drug Daruharidra (Berberis aristata)

: Ayurveda captured almost all herbs in its indications for therapeutics from the period of Vedas. More than 700 plants are discussed elaborately in various classics of Ayurveda of different periods. Berberis aristata DC (Berberidaceae) an Indian medicinal plant, is an Ayurvedic herb used since ancient times. It is commonly known as Daruharidra and Daruhaldi. The plant is useful as an antipyretic, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antihepatotoxic, antidiabetic, anticancer, antioxidant and hypolipidemic agent. Our main objective was to collect information about the active constituents and major pharmacological actions of B. aristata. Review of literature included PubMed, Science Direct searches with ‘Berberis aristata’ and ‘Daruharidra’ as initial keywords. This review aims to highlight the ethnomedicinal and pharmacological uses of B. aristata which will give insights in to developing potentially new bioactives from the plant scaffolds. This review also highlights the phytochemicals isolated from different parts of B. aristata. Daruharidra is a rich source of chemically novel compounds such as berberine and needs elaborate screening strategies to dwell into the pharmacological effects at the molecular level.