ABSTRACT
Plants have been used in traditional medicine for several thousand years. India is perhaps the largest producer of medicinal herbs and is rightly called the “Botanical garden of the World”. Ayurveda –The Indian traditional system of medicine claims to cure and control various diseases by means of herbal medicines. Murraya koneigii (Curry Leaves/Kadhi Patta/Mitha Nimba/Giri Nimba) is native to India and it is found almost everywhere in the Indian subcontinent excluding the higher levels of Himalayas. The curry tree is having many diseases protecting ingredients (natural compounds) which can be used as a natural source to make newer, alternative and innovative medicines. Curry leaves used traditionally as antiemetic, antidiarrhoeal, febrifuge and blood purifier. The whole plant is considered to be a tonic and stomachic. Curry leaves are found to be effective as antioxidant, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antihypertensive, cytotoxic and also in the treatment of bronchial respiratory difficulties. The leaves are used traditionally as a spice in curry and other eatables. The present review incorporates the description of M. koenigii, its phytochemical constituents and various pharmacological activities of isolated compounds as well as bioactivity of extract studies carried out by various numbers of laboratories.
Keywords: Murraya koenigii, Review, Phytochemistry, Febrifuge, Biological activity.