Review on pharmacological properties of Caesalpinia bonduc L.

Caesalpinia bonduc L. is a medicinal plant belonging to the family Caesalpiniaceae. It is a prickly shrub widely distributed all over the world especially in India, Sri Lanka and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in India specially found in tropical regions. In Indian traditional plant medicine, it has been considered as an important remedy for the treatment of several diseases. It is popular in indigenous system of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy. All parts of the plant have medicinal properties so it is a very valuable medicinal plant which is utilized in traditional system of medicine. The plant has been reported to possess anxiolytic, antinociceptive, antidiarrhoeal, antidiabetic, adaptogenic, anthelmintic, antiestrogenic, anti- inflammatory, antimalarial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antispasmodic, antioxidant, antiproliferative, antipsoriatic, antitumor, larvacidal, muscle contractile, hepatoprotective, anticonvulsant and antifilarial activities. Phytochemical analysis of Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) has revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, tannins and triterpenoids. This review attempts to encompass the available literature on Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) with respect to its pharmacognostic characters, chemical constituents, summary of its various pharmacological activities and traditional uses.