Medicinal plants have been used in Ayurvedic medicine. Every part of a medicinal plant have potential medicinal property, its processed extract can be used as a remedial source in various human diseases. These type of medicinal plants may be herb or shrub and located in common places of particular area, but have a great content to cure many human diseases. In recent research carried out indicate its important uses. Medicinal plants have been major source in the maintenance of health, as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or physical and mental illness. In response to the global need for scientific information on medicinal plants, the present works have some relevant information on the some biological and chemical aspects [1,2].

Different parts of medicinal plant are known to possess various ingredients which are used by rural and tribal people along with its uses in Ayurvedic and Chinese system of medicine. Therefore, these herb are used for treating conjunctional caused by liver fire, blurring vision due to yin and constipation caused by intestinal dryness. The leaves and seeds are also useful in treatment of leprosy, ringworm, bronchitis etc. [3].

Hypolipidemic

It was seen that, many medicinal plant have hypolipidemic activity. Some of these plants are Cassia auriculata, Amaranthus caudatus, and Rhinacanthus nasutus. Ethanolic and water soluble fraction decreased serum and triglyceride level of total LDL cholesterol, but it increases the serum HDL cholesterol level [4].

In another study it was seen that the soluble fibers which are collected from the different extract showed hypolipidemic effect due to their ecological behavior and lipid metabolism. Its shows reduction in serum concentration of total cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increases the serum HDL level [5].

Antitumor

One of the most important compound present in medicinal plant is emodin, which is an anthraquinone compound. It is mainly present in bark, seed and many times in leaf of various medicinal plants. e.g. Cathraranthus roseus, Taxus brevifolia, Taxus baccata and Taxus Canadensis.

Emodins have inhibitory effect on angiogenic and metastasis regulatory processes, which make emodin a sensible and specific blocker of tumor associated events. One of the most important features about emodin is its quinone structure which interferes with the electron transport process and alters the cellular status, which results in cytotoxic properties in different systems. This biological property makes windows open in antitumor therapy [6].

Anti-inflammatory activity

The methanolic extract of various plant leaves like, Marchantia palmata, Ageratum conyzoides, Alpinia galangal and Bombax ceiba exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenins, histamine, serotonin and dextrin induced rat hind paw oedema as a dose dependent manner [7].

Antibacterial activity

Various medicinal plants are potent for antibacterial activity. Some of these plants are Lantana camara, Saraca asoca, and Mangifara indica. They contain various antibacterial compounds like torachrysone, toralactone, aloe-emodin, rhein and emodin in seeds and can inhibit the strain of Staphylococcus aureus which are methicillin resistant. Various other compounds like phenolics and glycosides from leaf and seed also shows antibacterial effects on E. coli, P. aeruginosa [8].

Antifungal activity

Anthraquinone is a major compound present in all type of medicinal plants. Acacianilotica, Achras zapota, Datura stramonium and Emblica officinalis have the large content of anthraquinone and it have the antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungi i.e., Botrytis cinera, Erysiphe graminis, Phytophthora infestins, Pucciniea recondite etc. The antifungal activity is compared with the fungicide present in market and the result is acceptable [9,10].

Antimutagenic activity

Anthraquinone compound like aglycones and napthopyrone glycosides which are present in the seed of many medicinal plants can show antimutagenic activity. Some of these plants are Acorus calamus, Hemidesmus indicus, Holarrhena antidysenterica and Plumbago zeylanica. These anthrquinone compounds are demonstrated with the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) with Salmonella typhimurium assay. The CH2Cl2 and n-BuOH fraction shows the antimutagenic activity [11].

Antihelmintic activity

One major compound found in various types of medicinal plants is flavonoids, the aqueous and alcohol extract of different parts of medicinal plants shows the antihelmentic activity against Pheretima posthuma and Ascatdia galli due to presence of flavonoids [12]. Some of these potent plants are Piliostigma thomningii, Butea monosperma, and Punica granatum.

Anticoagulant

Medicinal plant like, Araucaria bidwillii, Enicostemma littorale and Achyranthus aspera, have the anticoagulant property, the methanolic and ether extract of leaf showed delaying effect on bleeding and the clotting times at 1hour interval in rabbits when tested using Wright and dukes capillary method [13].

Antidiabetic

It must note that many ethanobotanical surveys on medicinal plants used by the local population have been performed in different part of the world, there is a considerable number of plant describe as antidiabetic. Till date biguanide is the only drug approved for treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. It is derivative of an active natural compound “galegine”, which is isolated from plant Galega officinalis [14]. Other plants also have the anticoagulant activity like, Aegle marmelos, Agrimonia pilosa, and Allii cepa.