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An erect, evergreen, tomentose shrub, found throughout the drier parts of India in waste places and on bunds. It is also cultivated for the medicinal roots. The alkaloids – withanoloids are hypotensive, bradycardiac, antioxidant, antidepressant, and respiratory-stimulating action. The hypotensive effect is due mainly to autonomic ganglion-blocking action. The total alkaloids showed relaxant and antispasmodic effects against several spasmogens on intestinal, uterine, bronchial, tracheal and blood-vascular muscles. Withaferin A exhibits potent anti-arthritic and anti- inflammatory activities.

It is erect aromatic annual herb commonly cultivated through out India. The long slender stems bear tripartite, toothed, grey-green obovate leaves. The thin, sword-shaped pods are curved beak-like tip, each carrying 10-20 seeds. The chief chemical contituents are steroidal saponins. The active constituent of Fenugreek is galactomannan. It is known to reduce blood glucose, possess antiviral and anti-oxidant property.

It is a prostate annual herb widely distributed in the tropics and warm temperate regions of India, China and parts of Europe. Fruits resemble ribbed, spinous tuberculate tiny spherical balls. The chief constituents are steroidal sapogenins. The fruits are diuretic and aphrodisiac. Clinical studies indicate its anti-urolithiatic property. It improves muscle tone, stamina and endurance. It is known to increase sexual drive and performance.

A large, glabrous, deciduous climbing shrub with succulent stems found throughout tropical India, ascending to an altitude of 300m. The stem is used in general debility, dyspepsia, fevers and urinary diseases. The climber contains chiefly alkaloids responsible for antibacterial, hyoglycaemic and immunomodulatory activity. The extract is also useful in the treatment of jaundice and rheumatism.

It is a tree with rounded crown and spreading branches. Its principle chemical constituents are chebulagic acid, chebulic acid and corilagin. Its fruits are laxative, stomachic and tonic. Studies indicate extract to possess immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective properties.

A large deciduous tree with characteristic bark and obscurely 5-angled fruits grown throughout India. Its principle constituents are beta sitosterol, gallic acid, ellagic acid, ethylgallate, gallolyl glucose and chebulic acid. It is astringent, tonic, expectorant and laxative. It is used in coughs and sore throat. Its pulp is used in dropsy, piles and diarrhoea. It is also useful in leprosy, fever and hair care. Fruits possess antibacterial property.

An annual herb. found throughout India ascending up to 1,800 m. in the Himalayas, and in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, commonly cultivated in gardens. The plant increases the physical endurance and prevents stress-induced ulcers. It also potentates the hexobarbitone sleeping time. Protective action against histamine-induced bronchoplasm has been shown in animals. Tulsi extracts inhibits acute and chronic inflammation and is found to be analgesic and antiypretic. The anti-inflammatory action involves cyclooxygenase inhibitory pathway. The extract also possesses antioxidant activity.

A monoecious climber with solitary fruits found throughout India also commonly cultivated, up to an altitude of 1,500 m. The fruits and leaves of the plant contain alkaloids, chiefly momordicine. Roots contain bitter principles. The extracts of bitter gourd produces hypoglycaemia in normal as well as alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. Charantin isolated from the fruits given in doses of 50 mg/kg orally lowered the blood sugar by 12% in the fourth hour after administration.

A large pubescent, woody climber found in the Deccan Peninsula, extending to parts of northern and western India. It is occasionally cultivated. An aqueous extract of the leaves contains the saponins gymnemic acid III, IV, V, VIII and IX. Gymnemic acid has anti-diabetic property. It has inhibitory effect on plasma glucose and serum insulin in man through regeneration of insulin producing beta cells, hence find its application in type I Diabetes.

Commonly known as “Malabar Tamarind& is grown in ever green forests of west and southern India and Sri Lanka.
The fruits are like small pumpkin and of the size of an orange, too sour in taste, and their fleshy rind has been valued as a culinary ingredient. The tree is valued for its fruit rind which is rich in acids and possesses marked antiseptic properties. Its chief acid is (-)-hydroxycitric acid known to significantly reduce body weight. Hence the extract is used in the management of obesity to reduce fat synthesis and accelerate fat metabolism.