Madanaphala (Randia dumetorum lam.): A Phyto-Pharmacological Review

Abstract

In contemporary era medicinal plants have tremendous contribution in the healthcare system as a source of medicine to the rural population because plants are having nutritional as well as medicinal values. Literature of medicinal plants in ayurvedic classics is in scrupulous detail but it is randomly distributed. Even in Nighantu classics we found limited descriptions. To get thorough knowledge about any medicinal herb it is essential to go through all classical Ayurveda texts. Madanphala (Randia dumetorum Lam). is onymous as a usual drug of choice for Ayurvedic physicians since past due to its therapeutic properties like emetic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antihelmenthic, immunomodulatory, analgesic, wound healing etc. It is also useful in the treatment of diseases like kushtha (skin diseases), jwara (fever), shotha (inflammation), vidradhi (abscess), Pratishyaya (common cold). It occurs throughout the India upto 4000 ft. Altitude. It is found in foothills of Himalaya from Jammu to Sikkim, it is seen in Gujarat, Tamilnadu, Bengal and South Maharashtra. Its extract mainly contains glycosides, triterpenoid glycoside, Saponins named as dumentoronin A, B, C, D, E and F etc. Reflecting its therapeutic importance, a review has been done under various aspects of Randia dumetorum lam. Apart from classical ayurvedic textual references; present article enlightens recent research studies carried on this plant for its clinical and pharmacological evaluation.