Evaluation of pharmacognostical, phytochemical and ethnobotanical properties of Euphorbia neriifolia

Euphorbia neriifolia is a medicinal plant included in family Euphorbiaceae, commonly known as milk hedge. It is a cactus like plant originated from South Asia and normally grows around dry, rocky and hilly areas of India, Bangladesh and other south Asian countries. Probably because of the presence of significant amount of antioxidant and secondary metabolites including flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, saponins, phenolic compounds etc., its root, stem, bark, leaf, flower, fruit and in some cases whole plant are used as medicine from ancient time. Moreover, their usages were recommended in ayurvedic classic "Charaksamhita" and other traditional medicinal system. Recent pharmacognostical survey showed the plant has potent anti-carcinogenic, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-diabetic, analgesic, psychotropic, antifertility, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic activities. This review can be considered as a bird's eye view providing emphasis on phytochemical, pharmacological properties as well as traditional use of Euphorbia neriifolia will be helpful for future researchers interested in medicinal plant based research.