A Review on Parts of Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. Used as Ayurvedic Drugs

Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. (Family: Fabaceae) is commonly known as Siris, Shiris in Hindi; Lebbeck Tree in English and Bhandi, Sitapuspa, Sukapriya, Mrdupuspa in Sanskrit. It is mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical areas of India, Andaman Island, Myanmar, tropical Africa, Asia and northern Australia. Albizia lebbeck has been of keen interest due to varied phytochemicals and Ayurvedic research due to their excellent medicinal values. Traditionally, it is used as anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fertility, anti-diarrhoeal, antiseptic, anti-dysenteric and antitubercular. It is also used in the treatment of ringworms and wounds by washing the affected areas, gonorrhea, leucorrhoea, bronchitis, leprosy, paralysis, helmenth infection and other genital diseases. The phytoconstituents reported in the plants are melacacidin, D-catechin, β-sitosterol, albiziahexoside, betulnic acid and echinocystic acid glycosides, which are responsible for various potent physiological and pharmacological activities. This review includes the detailed exploration of the botany, phytochemistry and Traditional uses aspects of Albizia lebbeck is an attempt to provide a direction of further research.