Abstract

NICULA (BARRINGTONIA ACUTANGULA LINN. GAERTN.): A PHYTOPHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW

Nirmal Kumar†, Shivani Ghildiyal, Anil Kumar Singh

Abstract

Medicinal plants are widely used by the traditional medicinalPractitioners for curing various diseases in their day to day practice. Alarge number of plants are equally used by tribals and folklore traditionin India. Nicula (Barringtonia acutangula (Linn.) Gaertn.) is amedicinal plant which is use in several diseases. It is commonly knownas Nicula, Hijjala, Vidul etc. Hijjala is used as a folk medicine as aremedy for diarrhoea, amoebic dysentery, worm infestation and gastrointestinaldisorders. Present researches have been evaluatedantioxidant, anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic,anthelmintic, hepatoprotective, anti-diarrheal and wormicidal activityin this plant. These research studies support the use of this plant foruman and animal disease therapy and reinforce the importance of the ethno-botanicalapproach as a potential source of bioactive substances.

Keywords: Hijjala, Ayurveda, Barringtonia acutangula (Linn.) Gaertn., Nicula.