A Concise Review on Biological Activity of Tridax procumbens Linn

Abstract

Tridax procumbens Linn belongs to the family asteraceae. The exts. of Tridax procumbens have been used as indigenous medicine for a variety of ailments. It has been extensively used in Indian traditional medicine for wound healing, as anticoagulant, antifungal and insect repellent, in diarrhea and dysentery. Leaf exts. are used to treat infectious skin diseases in folk medicines. It is also dispensed as 'Bhringraj' which is well known ayurvedic medicine for liver disorders. Antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immune modulatory properties have also been demonstrated. Plants have strong ability to synthesize arom. substances, most of which are phenols or their oxygen substituted derivs. which are mostly secondary metabolites. At least 12,000 have been isolated, a no. estd. to be less than 10% of the total. These substances serve as plant defense mechanisms against predation by microbes, insects, herbivores. Some terpenoids are plant pigment, some are plant flavoring agents and some are having medicinal properties. [on SciFinder(R)]