SUMMARYMedicinal herbs are significant source of synthetic and herbal drugs. In the commercial market, medicinal herbs are used as raw drugs, extracts or tinctures. Isolated active constituents are used for applied research. For the last few decades, phytochemistry (study of plants) has been making rapid progress and herbal products are becoming popular. According to Ayurveda, the ancient healing system of India, the classical texts of Ayurveda, Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita were written around 1000 B.C. The Ayurvedic Materia Medica includes 600 medicinal plants along with therapeutics. Herbs like turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, garlic and holy basil are integral part of Ayurvedic formulations. The formulations incorporate single herb or more than two herbs (poly-herbal formulations). Medicinal herb contains multitude of chemical compounds like alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, resins, oleoresins, sesquiterpene, lactones and oils (essential and fixed). Today there is growing interest in chemical composition of plant based medicines. Several bioactive constituents have been isolated and studied for pharmacological activity. R. cordifolia is an important medicinal plant commonly used in the traditional and Ayurvedic system of medicine for treatment of different ailments. This review illustrates its major constituents, pharmacological actions substantiating the claims made about this plant in the traditional system of medicine and its clinical applications.

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WHO has emphasized the value of using green repellents to combat disease and supplement insecticide-based vector control strategies. These products are frequently labelled as safe which is a common misperception due to the presence of varying bioactive compounds that can either be toxic or non-toxic. Pertaining to this scenario, a scarcely studied plant Etlingera fenzlii is studied to analyse its toxicological effects on skin. The plant is endemic to Kamorta and Katchal islands of Nicobar group and Mount Harriet hill ranges of Southern Andaman. These plants are used by the Shompen tribes for their honey collection and also against stomach disorders, cough etc. It is crucial to comprehend the plant's safety levels and dose limitations considering its' proven fungicidal and mosquitocidal characteristics among their other functions. The current study evaluated the acute dermal toxicity of flower essential oil in Wistar rats in accordance with OECD recommendations. Topical application at a dose of 2000mg/kg body weight showed no signs of toxicity. Any changes in body weight, water intake, feed consumption or gross pathology were not observed in the tested animals which provide considerable evidence to support the safe topical application of the essential oil.