ANTICANCER POTENTIAL OF WRIGHTIA TINCTORIA (Roxb.) R. Br.

Wrightia tinctoria R. Br. belongs to the family Apocynaceae commonly called as Sweet Indrajao, Pala Indigo Plant, Dyer's Oleander, Jaundice curative tree in south India. The leaves of this tree yield a blue dye called pala indigo. It is a widely recognized medicinal plant and considered to be therapeutically very effective jaundice plant in India in indigenous system of medicine. Crushed fresh leaves when filled in the cavity of decayed tooth relieve toothache. In Siddha system of medicine, it is used for psoriasis and other skin diseases. Oil 777 prepared out of the fresh leaves of the plant has been assigned to analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities and to be effective in the treatment of psoriasis. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-dandruff properties and hence is used in hair oil preparations. The study showed that Wrightia tinctoria can be used for the development of effective therapeutic approaches towards the prevention or treatments of various immune conditions and different types of cancer.