AN UPDATED REVIEW OF “CRYPTOLEPIS BUCHANANI R – A RICH AND ANCIENT REPOSITORY FOR HERBAL HERITAGE

Cryptolepis buchanani Roem & Schult.(Asclepiadaceae), commonly known as Jambupatra sariva and Karanta, is a climbing shrub.It is a well-known ayurvedic plant found throughout India.It is also used in Thai traditional medicine for the treatment of muscle and tendon pains by decoction.The plant is used in Indian folkloric medicine (Ayurveda) for its antidiarrhoeal, antiulcerative, anti-inflammatory, blood purifier, anticough, antibacterial, demulcent, diaphoretic, diuretic properties and in treatment of rickets in children.The roots of this plant are well studied for its medicinal properties but the aerial parts (leaves & stem) are nearly virgin.The chemical composition of Cryptolepis buchanani is much complex and found to have variety of phytocompounds such as tannins, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, terpenes, flavonoids, phenol, protein, and steroids.This review discusses the traditional importance as well as the phytochemical, ethnomedical, pharmacological, and toxicological importance of this plant.This review attempts to reports the pharmacological activities and complex chemistry profile of C.