ABSTRACT
Medicinal plants based on traditional systems of medicines such as Unani and Ayurveda are playing an important role in prevention and management of different ailments. These systems are enriched with detailed therapeutic uses of different sources of drugs, especially plant-origin drugs. At present, these plants and their chemical derivatives are also being used in modern medicine for therapeutic purposes. This chapter is an effort to present a snapshot of the traditional uses and ethno-pharmacological activities along with scientific aspects of Syzygium cumini, which is commonly known as black plum or jamun. Syzygium cumini has been reported to possess many pharmacological activities like antidiabetic, antioxidant, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhoeal, antiviral, anti-fertility, gastro-protective, anti-histaminic, antimicrobial, and immune-modulator and is used for treating diabetes, asthma and diarrhoea. Chemically, it possesses alkaloids, saponins, steroids, phenols, tannins, glycosides, flavonoids and resins.
