Purpose : The usage of medicinal herbs in the treatment or cure of various human ailments has been reported since past many centuries. Due to less toxicity of herbs when compared with allopathic drug, these are utilized in the development of formulations to increase efficacy. This review explores the various chemical constituents of the plant Kigelia pinnata, commonly called as Sausage tree, and their therapeutic effects in various human ailments.
Findings : Kigelia pinnata has been proven to contain many secondary metabolites like alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, sterols, fatty acids, naphthaquinones, etc. The plant possesses many traditional uses such as anticancer, antileprotic, antimalarial, antibacterial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, antiurolithiasis, antidiarrhoeal, antioxidant, antidiabetic, etc.
Conclusion : Kigelia pinnata is an important plant bearing significant medicinal values in human. This review thus helps the researcher to evaluate and establish the use of plant in various conditions as a curative or as a prophylactic agent and it also highlights the potential of the plant as therapeutic agents in different human ailments.
Keywords
