Abstract

EMBELIA RIBES: A POTENTIAL MEDICINAL PLANT

Chanchal Jain*, Sonal Gupta and Dr. A. K. Singhai

ABSTRACT

Plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before prehistoric period. Medicinal plants are considered as a rich resources of ingredients which can be used in drug development either pharmacopoeial, non- pharmacopoeial or synthetic drugs. Treatment with medicinal plants is considered very safe as there is no or minimal side effects. These remedies are in sync with nature, which is the biggest advantage. Recently, WHO (World Health Organization) estimated that 80 percent of people worldwide rely on herbal medicines for some aspect of their primary health care needs. According to WHO, around 21,000 plant species have the potential for being used as medicinal plants. Embelia ribes Burm F a medicinal woody climber belongs to the Myrsinaceae family. It is also commonly known as false black pepper or vidanga. E. ribes is one of the 32 medicinal plant species identified by the Medicinal Board, Govt. of India, New Delhi. The root, berries and leaves of Embelia ribes is used in herbal formulas. Fresh juice is cooling, diuretic and laxative. The root acts as be chic and anti-diarrheal. The seeds are spermicidal, oxytoxic and diuretic. The plant is also useful and known for its blood purifying properties.

Keywords: Embelia ribes, hydroalcohlic extract, antioxidant, antidiabetic.