Baccaurea ramiflora Lour., a member of Euphorbiaceae family, is found in the tropical forests with wild distribution in India (Assam). The fruits are edible and the wood of the tree is use for making furniture. The present review work is an effort to revisit the scientific works done to evaluate the scope for bio-prospection of edible fruit of B. ramiflora. Research work has reported rich content of minerals and vitamin C in the fruit. The plant has ethno-botanical uses in different countries of the world. Though it has many valuable properties, the plant is still an underutilized plant as its economic potentialities are still untapped. Since time immemorial, humankind has quest for identification and utilization of biological resources, which is crucial to the survival, adaptation, and evolution of the human species. The search for new sources of chemical compounds, genes, proteins, microorganisms and other products that have economic potential and can be obtain from the biological resources around us is bioprospecting. Bioprospecting can be an element of conservation of bio-resources if it can contribute in the generation of wealth through research and development (R&D) and alleviating poverty in bio-diversity rich regions. If underexploited and underutilized natural resources can be transform into potential economically, valuable products it may help in leading subsistence lifestyles in the remote biodiversity rich regions.

Bhut jolokia, which is a cultivar of Capsicum chinense Jacq. is known to the world for its high capsaicinoids content. While wild C. chinense forms may be found in eastern lowland of South America, bhut jolokia is grown in the northeastern states of India. Evidences show that bhut jolokia has interspecific origin with introgression of genes of C. frutecens into C. chinense a natural hybridisation. The fruit of the plant and its leaves has been used as ethnobotanical medicine in different parts of the world. Phytochemical analysis has shown that the fruit is rich in capsaicinoids, which is the reason for its high pungency. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin are the two major capsaicinoids adding pungency to chilli. Higher the capsaicin higher is the pungency. Recent studies has shown wide medicinal applications of capsaicin such as pain relief, anti-obesity treatment, as an antioxidant, antimicrobial agent and even as anticancer molecule. The government of Nagaland has patent rights and geographical indications for naga chilli, which will certainly help in the economic prospect of the region from its cultivation. Thus, this review is an attempt to highlight the latest research and developments in bhut jolokia, which has a huge economic potential to prosper the northeastern region of India.