Abstract
Medicinal plants have been subject to man’s curiosity since ages. Medicinal components from plants play an important role in conventional as well as western medicine. They were the sole source of active principles capable of curing man’s ailments. Thus natural products have been a major source of drugs for centuries. Couroupita guianensis is a deciduous tree belonging to family Lecythidaceae and has a common name cannonball tree. It is native to the rainforests of Central and South America. It is cultivated in many other places. In India the tree is sacred to Hindus, who believe its hooded flowers look like the naga, and it is grown at Shiva temples. The leaves, flowers and fruits are rich in phytochemicals and are reported to contain quercitin, saponin, tryptanthirn, and many other constituents. The tree has been evaluated for many pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antifertility, anxiolytic, cytotoxic, antinociceptive, etc. Taking into consideration the medicinal properties of the tree the present review has been made to explore its phytochemical, pharmacological and other important aspects.
