Untitled

Abstract

Man has been dependent on plants for the treatment and cure of different diseases since time immemorial. Plants have served not only as a source of food and shelter but also as a very important source of different "portions" used for the treatment and cure of diseases. These portions are herbal or plant based mixtures made by traditional healers; who are individuals having a knowledge of medicinal plants of that particular area. In India, there are several thousands of medicinal plants, known to be used for specific diseases. Canavalia virosa is one such plant, known to be used for different curative purposes. However, it is more popular as a food plant as it is a tribal pulse. Canavalia virosa is a flowering plant belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is one of the lesser know vines from the genus Canavalia. It is not only important as an alternative protein source but also a promising medicinal plant as indicated by traditional medicine systems. This paper brings together some of the work carried out on this wonder plant by different researches.