Abstract:
India is naturally blessed with the rich diversity of flora and fauna. Floral diversity is much concentrated in the hotspots of India, among which Western Ghats harbours most of the plants with known and unknown medicinal significance. Application of plants as a source of medicines has as an ancient history and traditional knowledge of treating various diseases has passed down from one generation to another generation in India. By realising the importance of herbal medicines, cultivation and use of medicinal plants has got huge potential.
Eclipta alba (L.) is an annual herbaceous plant, which is commonly known as Bhringraj having its significance in traditional and folk medicines. Whole plant is considered to be having medicinal importance because of the presence of various secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenes and their glycosides and it is used to treat various kinds of ailments. Bhringraj plant has several therapeutic uses like maintaining dark hair and reversing baldness, strengthening hair, preventing aging and rejuvenate hair, teeth, bone, memory, sight, hearing. Recent studies revealed that Bhringraj plant also has curative properties such Nephroprotective activity, Anti-diabetic, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Anti-breast tumor activity, Anticancer activity, Anti-hepatotoxic, Hair growth promoter activity and Memory enhancing activity and It is considered as a potent medicinal plant with tremendous pharmacological significance.