PHYTOCHEMIST RY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF BERSAMA ENGLERIANA GUERKE - AN OVERVIEW

Bersama engleriana Guerke (Melianthaceae ) is the synonym of the Bersama abyssinica. Bark, leaf and root decoctions are widely taken as a purgative to treat a range of stomach disorders, such as abdominal pain, colic, diarrhea, cholera, intes tinal worms, amoebiasis and dysentery. This p lant mainly contains mangiferin, swinniol, Δ4 - stigmaster - 3b - ol, 4 - methylstigmaster - 5, 23 - dien - 3 - b - ol, sterols, flavones, phenols, triterpenes, anthraquinones, Hellebrigenin 3 - acetate, hellebrigenin 3, 5 - diacetat e and bersaldegenin 1, 3, 5 - orthoacetate. Bersama engleriana shows hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumor, anti HIV activities. This review explains various traditional uses as well as phytochemical and pharmacological reports on Bersama engle riana which help th e researcher to explode more potential of this plant .