GUCHAKARANJA (QUASSIA INDICA (GAERTN) NOOTEBOOM) -AN OVERVIEW.

Ayurvedic health care system mainly based on plant and plant based products. Plants have been the primary basis for drug discoveries and developing new drugs. The drug Guchakaranja is mentioned as one of the Karanja variety by Raja Nighantu and Nighantu Ratnakara. The mentioning of this drug is not found in any of the other classical Ayurvedic text books. It is popularly known as Karinjotta in Kerala. The drug Karinjotta had been mentioned in Van Reed?s Hortus Malabaricus along with its medicinal uses. Its leaves are used in cold, fever & erysipelas. The oil prepared from fruit cures cholera & diseases of joints. The drug had been used extensively in folklore practice for many diseases like skin diseases, inflammatory disorders, fever, cough,joint disorders etc. Here the present review study is an attempt to provide reported detail information of this herb from various Ayurvedic textbooks,morphology and its study in modern area like its phytoconstituents and pharmacological actions.