Tridax Procumbens: A Multiuseful Weed A Review

Tridax procumbens (L.) is a spreading annual herb found throughout India. The plant is a native of tropical America and naturalized in tropical Africa, Asia, and Australia. Local people known it as “Ghamara,” in English popularly called “coat buttons” and is dispensed for “Bhringraj” by some of the practitioners of Ayurveda. The plant has many pharmacological applications such as hepatoprotective activity, anti-infl ammatory, wound healing, anti-diabetic activity, hypotensive effect, immunomodulating property, bronchial catarrh, dysentery, and diarrhea and to prevent falling of hair promotes the growth of hair, and antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The leaf juice possesses antiseptic, insecticidal and parasiticidal properties, as a remedy against conjunctivitis and is used also to check hemorrhage from cuts, bruises and wounds insect repellent. It is also used as biocarbon absorbent for removal of excess fl uoride. Hence, the present review aims to open new avenues for the improvement of medicinal use of T. procumbens for various ailments.