In any nation's public health care system, plants play an essential role in therapeutic treatment. The plant Thevetia peruviana is an evergreen ornamental dicotyledonous shrub belonging to the family Apocynaceae. Thevetia peruviana is widely distributed in Central and South America and Asian countries, especially in India and Srilanka. Alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, and other secondary metabolites are found in Thevetia peruviana. All parts of these plants are toxic and contain a variety of cardiac glycosides, including neriifolin, thevetin A, thevetin B, and oleandrin. The leaves of the plant are used as a cardiotonic and diuretic and are also reported to possess medicinal value in traditional systems of medicine. Several studies reported pharmacological activity in various plant parts, including seeds, flowers, bark, fruits and leaves. The purpose of this review is to provide the complete data, including morphology, cultivation and propagation, distribution, phytochemistry, traditional uses & pharmacological activities.
INTRODUCTION:Thevetia peruviana, commonly known as yellow oleander in English and Peeli Kaner in Hindi, is widespread throughout the India. The plant is mostly used as an ornamental in gardens, road dividers along the sides of roads. It does not require any maintenance and can easily survive in extreme conditions 1 . It requires minimum water when it is in its growing stage. It began flowering after one & a half years. It blooms three times a year. Fruit contains 2-4 flat gray seeds, yield about half a liter of oil from 1 kg of dry kernel 2 . It grows to about 10-18 feet high, with spirally arranged, linear leaves about 13 to 15 cm in length 3 .