PHYTO PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW OF PONGAMIA PINNATA FAMILY FABACEAE

Pongamia pinnata belonging to the family Fabaceae (Papilionaceae) commonly known as Karanj. It is a small evergreen tree, which is widely distributed in India, Bangladesh, China, and Australia. The plants have been described as a useful remedy for foul ulcer, fistulous sores, gonorrhea and urethritis. The current review aims to describe the pharmacognostic descriptions and phytochemical potential of plant. Important phytoconstituents which had been reported consists of various flavonoid derivatives such as pongamones A-E in stem. Whereas flavonoids ponaganones had been isolated from root bark of Pongamia pinnata. Karangin, pongamol, pongagalabrone, pongapin, pinnatin and Kanjone have been isolated and characterized from seeds of Pongamia pinnata. The review also collaborates the pharmacological activities such as hypoglycemic, anti-dyslipidemic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhoeal activity etc which had been recently elaborated by various research scientist around the globe.