Ethnomedicinal plants have been used as medicine for different ailments since ancient times.
Formulation made from plant materials are used in traditional, complementary and alternative
medicine and are widespread in both developing and developed countries. Tragia involucrata L.
(Family: Euphorbiaceae) is a medicinal plant widely used in Sri Lankan and Indian traditional
medicine. As this plant is a weed, it is being destroyed on a large scale due to lack of knowledge
about its medicinal properties. Therefore, the objective of this study is to collect data on the medicinal
value of this plant, biological and pharmacological activities with its ethnomedicinal uses. An effort
was made to collect information on the ethnopharmacological uses and scientifically verified
biological activities of Tragia involucrata. The review provides an insight into the potential of Tragia
involucrata as a monoherbal formulation for diseases associated with multiple systems of the body.
With all the scientifically verified biological activities and ethnopharmacological uses, Tragia
involucrata can be qualified as a potent candidate to be developed as a phytomedicine and used as a
preventive and therapeutic agent. Hence, the objective of this study was to collect data on the
medicinal value of this plant by correlating its scientifically validated biological activities with its
ethnopharmacological uses. With all the scientifically validated biological activities and the
ethnopharmacological uses, Tragia involucrata may qualify as a potent candidate to be developed into
a phytomedicine to be utilized as both a preventive and as a therapeutic agent.
