BONE HEALING ACTIVITY OF CISSUS QUADRANGULARIS LINN.

Cissus quadrangularis Linn. is a succulent plant of family Vitaceae commonly found in tropical and subtropical xeric wood. It is a fleshy, cactus-like liana widely used as a common food item in India. The plant is prescribed in the ancient Ayurvedic literature as a general tonic and analgesic, with specific bone fracture healing properties. The plant is believed to be useful in helminthiasis, anorexia, dyspepsia, colic, flatulence, skin diseases, leprosy, hemorrhage, epilepsy, convulsion, hemoptysis, tumors, chronic ulcers, swellings. Following various folk claims for the cure of various diseases, efforts have been made by researchers to verify the efficacy of the plant through scientific biological screening. The scrutiny of literature revealed some notable pharmacological activities of the plant such as antioxidant, free radical scavenging, antimicrobial, antibacterial, bone healing, antiulcer, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and diuretic, presented in this review such that the potential use of the plant either in pharmaceutics or as an agriculture resource can be evaluated. The present review is an attempt to highlight phytochemicals, various traditional uses as well as pharmacological reports on Cissus quadrangularis L.