Abstract

Rasheed Ahmed*, Praveen Kumar Goyal and G. Jeyabalan

ABSTRACT

Traditional medicinal plant Caesalpinia sappan belongs to Fabaceae family, it is commonly known as Brazil or Sappan wood and Bakam or Patang in Hindi. The presence of potentially active chemical constituents and their multifunctional properties make Caesalpinia sappan perfect candidates for the production of phyto-pharmaceutical products. Major chemical compound present in drug are triterpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, oxygen heterocycles, and amino acids has been reported in the heartwood and seeds of this plant. Traditionally Caesalpinia Sappan used for the treatment of blood pressure, diabetes, burning sensations, cancer, cataract, digestion, dysmenorrhea, ear diseases, gonorrhea, heart diseases, jaundice, nervous disorders, obesity, ophthalmic diseases, spermatorrhea, stomach aches, syphilis, urinary diseases and vascular diseases. Although it is used widely around the country, single hand information about its ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological action is still lacking. Traditionally appreciated for its pharmacological properties by the various researcher Sappan wood is still hardly recognized because of insufficient scientific information. The aim of this review is to summarize all the traditional property of Caesalpinia sappan.