A Review on Hybanthus enneaspermus

Hybanthus enneaspermus belonging to the family Violaceae commonly known as spade flower, is a small shrub growing to a height of 60cm with pink-purple spade shaped flowers. Ionidium suffriticosum, Viola suffriticosa, Ionidium enneaspermum and Viola enneaspermum are the synonyms for the plant. Entire plant is of medicinal importance and is widely used in Ayurveda and Siddha systems of medicine. Dipeptide, alkaloids, aurantiamide acetate, isoarborinol, sitosterol, sugars, flavonoids, catechins, tannins, anthraquinones and amino acids are the constituents present in the plant. In Southwest Nigeria the plant is locally known as Abiwere, used by Traditional birth attendants to make delivery less laborious. Hybanthus enneaspermus shows interesting medicinal properties like anti-hyperlipidemic activity, free radical scavenging activity, nephro protective activity, antioxidant activity, anti-arrhythmic activity, anti-infertility activity, anti-allergic, analgesic activity and anti-microbial activity. This article as a review on the plant, its phytochemistry and its reported pharmacological activity.