Abstract

A PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF KARVá¿‘RA (NERIUM INDICUM): AN IMPORTANT AÌ„YURVÄ’DIKA HERB

*Dr. Anamika Choudhary and Dr. Bhavna Singh

Abstract

In dika text more than 500 medicinal plants have been mentioned with their therapeutical uses, Karvῑra i.e. Nerium indicum is one of them. It is a very useful plant with various medicinal properties such as anti microbial, anti-pruritus, wound healer, antileprotic, cardiac tonic etc. Since long, it is being used by physicians in various diseases, especially the skin diseases. Scientific studies now also support its use in a variety of conditions as wound infections, inflammation, cancer, diabetes and CNS depression. Various active constituents as glycosides, terpenoids and flavonoids are responsible for its therapeutic effects. The objective of present study was to investigate important phyto-chemical constituents, present in the leaf, root, and stem bark of Nerium indicum (Karvῑra) in different solvents like Ethanol, Acetone, Hexane, Ether, and Aqueous. The dried leaf, root, and stem bark samples are extracted with solvents by cold maceration. This work strongly proves that leaves, stem bark and root of Nerium indicum are rich in Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Terpenoids, Saponins, Tannins, Carbohydrates and glycosides in all the solvents.

Keywords: Ba?hatatray?, Karv?ra, k?mighna, Nerium indicum, Nigha??u, phytochemical.