Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: Ayurveda, a traditional as well as main stream system of medicine has been with a source of novel concepts and products for healthcare. Nyctanthes arbor-tristis Linn. is a well documented medicinal plant as evident from the literature. Rural and tribal people of India use different parts of this plant to overcome various diseases. Its use in traditional medicine has been assured on scientific basis by studying pharmacology of the plant in vitro and in vivo experiments. The chemical investigation of different parts of the plant and systematic isolation of pure compounds have been reported in literature. The present review gives comprehensive information on the pharmacological activities and chemical constituents of this plant cited from the year as back as 1877 to the latest December 2010 and it includes 62 references.

Key words: Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, night jasmine, harsingar, arborside, arbortristoside