The Pharmacognostic profile and therapeutic potential of the wonder tree, Prosopis cineraria: A Review

Abstract

The ‘king of the desert’, commonly known as Khejri (Prosopis cineraria) grows predominantly in dry and arid regions,
performs a vital role in preserving the ecosystem. All the parts of the plant are used for numerous medicinal purposes.
Leaves of P. cineraria, commonly called as “Loong”, are formed into paste and applied on blisters, boils, mouth ulcers
in livestock1
. P. cineraria (the king of desert) has an extensive deep-root system and it is often considered as an aridityloving tree because it possesses an ability to withstand drought and adverse climatic conditions. Its tap root system can
penetrate vertically to more than 20 m hence, P. cineraria is popularly referred to as the “wonder tree” 2
.
It is a multipurpose tree owing to the fact that all the parts of P. cineraria are useful for medicinal purposes and hence, it
is referred as “kalpvriksha” in the ancient literature of India 3
. Prosopis cineraria is an evergreen, small to moderate sized
thorny tree. It has slender branches with conical thorns and dark-green coloured leaves which are bipinnately compound.
This tree is a legume and has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen thereby, plays a remarkable role in enhancing soil
fertility and promotes the growth of other surrounding trees.