Bhattacharjee D et. al. JAPHR, 2011, Volume1, Issue 3 Review article 82 Content list available at: www.iaphp.in Journal of Advances in Pharmacy and Healthcare Research Journal home page: http://www.japhr.iaphp.in Clerodendrum Infortunatum Linn. : A Review Debayan Bhattacharjee*, Arup Das, Sreemoy Kanti Das, G.S Chakraborthy Department of Pharmacognosy, Himalayan Pharmacy Institute, Majhitar, Sikkim-737132 Key words: Clerodendron infortunatum Clerodin, Antidiabetes, Unani, Homeopathy, Clerosterol. Corresponding author: Dept. of Pharmacognosy, Himalayan Pharmacy Institute, Majhitar, Sikkim-737132 E-mail- bedebayan@gmail.com Abstract: Clerodendron infortunatum Linn. (Verbenaceae) is an important and widely used medicinal plant, reported to contain active bitter substance like clerodin, has been widely used as tonic and anthelmintic agent in the country sides of North India. Though, variously used in Ayurveda, Unani system of medicine and Homeopathy in case of ailments like diarrhoea, skin disorders, venereal and scrofulous complaints, wounds, post-natal complications, as vermifuge, laxative and cholagogue, for the removal of ascarids in anus, as external applications on tumours, etc., the plant needs thorough investigation for its specific medicinal activity. Leaves and roots are used for external applications on tumours are due to the presence of Clerodolone, Clerodone, Clerodol and a sterol now designated as Clerosterol. Leaves and root extract is useful for the treatment of fresh wound. Percentage of haemoglobin increased due to leaf extract. Piles patient treated with leaf extract gives considerable relief. Sugar percentage reduced in diabetic patient. Slightly warm leaves applied with edible oil on the painful part of human body gives considerable relief within twelve hours. Seven sugars namely raffinose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, glactose, glucose and fructose were also identified from root extract. Pollen viability was assessed on the basis of hanging drop method. Reproductive success was assessed on the basis of fruit and seed set. Introduction: Clerodendrum infortunatum Linn. (Family: Verbanaceae), Bhat in Hindi, Ghentu in Bengali, Bhania in Oriya) is a terrestrial shrub having square, blackish stem and simple, opposite, decussate, petiolate, exstipulate, coriacious, hairy leaves with a disagreeable odour (1,2) The shrub is of 2-4 feet in height (3) . Flowers are bluish-purple often white in pyramid shaped terminal panicles. The plant is slightly woody shrub in nature with blunt quadrangular sterns and branches, leaves are usually three at a node, sometimes opposite oblong or elliptic, serrate, flowers are blue, many in long cylindrical thyrsus and the fruits are four lobed purple durpe, somewhat succulent with one pyrene in each lobe (4) . The plant is common throughout the plains of India found widely in West Bengal (5) .Different species of Clerodendrum genus have been traditionally used over centuries and their antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential have ISSN 2231-6817