Medicinal Uses and Pharmacological Actions of Five Commonly Used Indian Medicinal Plants: A Mini-Review

Man depends heavily on various plant species for his survival. Indian traditional system of medicine is based on empirical knowledge of the observations and the experience over millennia and more than 5000 plants are used by different ethnic communities in India. During the last few decades there has been an increasing interest in the study of medicinal plants and their traditional use in different parts of India. The present communication constitutes a review on the medicinal properties, ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activities of five common medicinal plants (Acalypha indica L., Achyranthes aspera L., Adhatoda vasica Medicus, Coriandrum saticum and Centella asiatica ) used in Indian traditional medicine. These plants are known to contain various active principles of therapeutic value and to possess biological activity against a number of diseases.