Pharmacognosy of Enicostemma littorale:A review

Traditional medicine system of India comprised varieties of plants which are playing a significant role in curing diseases from ancient times.Among them,Enicostemma littorale blume(E.littorale)a perennial herb of the family Gentianaceae is cosmopolitan in occurrence in India.The bittery natured plant acts as a laxative,helps in curing fever,rheumatism,skin diseases,abdominal disorders,snake bite,obesity and helps to regulate blood sugar levels.The plant constituents have been reported for possessing antimicrobial,antioxidant,antiulcer,antiinflammatory,hypolipidaemic,hepatoprotective and hypoglycemic properties.This review provides a bird’s eye view about geographical distribution,physicochemical parameters,phvtoconstituents and pharmacological properties of E.littorale.