Wrightia tinctoria ,-The only remedy for psoriasis, Wrightia tinctoria .

Wrightia tinctoria R. Br. belongs to family Apocynaceae commonly called as Sweet 

Indrajao, Pala Indigo Plant, Dyer's Oleander. "Jaundice curative tree" in south India.

 Sweet Indrajao is a small, deciduous tree with a light gray, scaly smooth bark. Native to

 India and Burma, Wrightia is named after a Scottish physician and botanist William Wright

 (1740-1827). Sweet Indrajao is called dhudi (Hindi) because of its preservative nature. .

 From a distance, the white flowers may appear like snowflakes on a tree. The fruits 

pendulous, long-paired follicles joined at their tips. The hairy seeds are released as the 

fruit dehisces. The leaves of this tree yield a blue dye called Pala Indigo. 

Medicinal uses: 

Ethnomedically, the bark of this plant is used as a galactagogue to treat abdominal pain, 

skin diseases and wounds, as an anti-pyretic, anti-dysenteric, anti-diarrheal- and anti-

hemorrhagic  agents, and as an antidote for snake poison. Seeds of this plant are also used 

as an aphrodisiac.  In view of the reported severe health hazards of estrogen, such as 

increased risk of endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma, breast cancer, and 

thromboembolic diseases. A large number of natural products showing promising anti-

fertility activity in preliminary studies could not be pursued due to their associated 

estrogen-agonistic activity. 

The leaves are applied as a poultice for mumps and herpes. Sometimes, they are also 

munched to relieve toothache. In folk medicine, the dried and powdered roots 

of Wrightia along with Phyllanthus amarus (keezhanelli) and Vitex negundo (nochi) are 

mixed with milk and orally administered to women for improving fertility. The bark and 

seeds are effective against psoriasis and non-specific dermatitis. It has anti-inflammatory 

and anti-dandruff properties and hence is used in hair oil preparations.

The juice of the tender leaves is used efficaciously in jaundice. 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, anti-inflammatory, and anti-

pyretic activities and to be effective in the treatment of psoriasis. 

The plant is reported to contain presence of flavanoid, glycoflavones-iso-orientin, and 

phenolic acids. The various chemical constituents isolated from various parts of the plant 

are reported as 3,4-Seco-lup-20 (29)-en-3-oic acid, lupeol, stigmasterol and 

campetosterol, Indigotin, indirubin, tryptanthrin, isatin, anthranillate and rutin 

Triacontanol, Wrightial, cycloartenone, cycloeucalenol, β-amyrin, Alpha-Amyrin, and β-

sitosterol, 14α-methylzymosterol. Four uncommon sterols, desmosterol, clerosterol, 24-

methylene-25-methylcholesterol, and 24-dehydropollinastanol, were isolated and 

identified in addition to several more common phytosterols. The Triterpinoids 

components of the leaves and pods of Wrightia tinctoria also isolated.

Pharmacological evaluation

Anti-psoriatic activity
The hydro-alcoholic extract of Wrightia tinctoria leaves was evaluated for anti-psoriatic 

activity by mouse tail test. Anti-psoriatic activity was performed at a dose 200 mg/kg 

body weight in mice (25-30 g). Isoretinoic acid (0.5 mg/kg) was used as the standard. 

Degree of orthokeratosis, drug activity, and the relative epidermal thicknesses were 

calculated and statistically analyzed. The extract was also evaluated for its antioxidant 

potential by DPPH, nitric oxide, and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging assays. The 

extract produced significant (P < 0.01) degree of orthokeratosis compared to control, and 

the drug activity was found to be 70.18%, which is more potent than the standard 

(57.43%). The extract showed prominent antioxidant activity in all the assays. The present 

study concludes that the selected plant has anti-psoriatic activity and can be used for 

psoriasis treatment. 

Anti-fungal activity

Present study was designed to investigate the in vitro anti-fungal activity of certain 

medicinal plants and the pure compound indirubin isolated from Wrightia tinctoria. The 

hexane, chloroform, methanol, and ethanol extracts of six different plants were 

investigated against dermatophytes, non-dermatophytes, and yeasts. Chloroform extract 

of Wrightia tinctoria leaf was fractionated using column chromatography, and the major 

compound was identified using spectroscopic techniques. Anti-fungal activity was studied 

by spore germination test using agar dilution method. The minimum inhibitory 

concentration (MIC) was determined using broth micro dilution method. Wrightia 

tinctoriashowed promising activity against dermatophytic and non-dermatophytic fungi. 

Leaf chloroform extract showed activity at 0.5 mg/ml againstTrichophyton 

rubrum, Epidermophyton floccosum, Aspergillus niger, and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis. 

The major compound, identified as indirubin, exhibited activity against dermatophytes 

such as Epidermophyton floccosum (MIC = 6.25 μg/ml); Trichophyton 

rubrum andTrichophyton tonsurans (MIC = 25 μg/ml); Trichophyton 

mentagrophytes and Trichophyton simii (MIC = 50 μg/ml). It was also active against non-

dermatophytes (Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, and Cryptococcus sp.) within a MIC 

range of 0.75-25 μg/ml. The indole compound indirubin from Wrightia tinctoria showed 

anti-fungal activity and may be useful in the treatment of dermatophytoses.

 Wound healing

In recent years, oxidative stress and free radicals have been implicated in impaired 

wound healing. Abelmoschu manihot (L.) Medik, Malvaceae and Wrightia tinctoria R.Br, 

Apocynaceae plants, widely used in Ayurveda, possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-

microbial properties. The present study was undertaken to assess the potential of 

petroleum ether and methanolic extracts in wound healing in Wistar albino rats. The rats 

were divided into six groups of six animals each. Group 1 is normal wounded control, 

group 2 received standard drug, and the other 4 groups were treated with two different 

doses each of petroleum ether and methanolic extract of A. manihot and W. tinctoria. 

The wound healing parameters were evaluated by using incision wounds in extract-

treated rats, standard, and controls. Both the doses of petroleum ether and methanolic 

extract significantly increased wound breaking strength when compared with the control 

group. he treatment of dermatophytosis.

Anti-microbial properties


The present investigation focuses on in vitro anti-microbial properties and phytochemical 

analysis of aqueous and methanolic extracts of two different colored mature seed 

varieties of Wrightia tinctoria. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of 

carbohydrates, reducing sugars, alkaloids, sterols, glycosides, phenolics, tannins, 

flavonoids, and amino acids. Greater effectivity was observed against gram-positive 

bacterial pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, S. aureus, S. 

citreus, and B. cereus than the gram-negative strains. The methanolic seed extracts were 

largely inhibitory against pathogenic yeasts like Trichophyton rubrum, Candida 

albicans, C. parapsilosis, and Cryptococcus. The results indicated that the methanolic 

extract of the brown variety seeds is pharmacologically more active than that of the 

beige variety seeds. The aqueous extracts of both the seed varieties were moderately 

effective against S. aureus ATCC 25923 and S. citreus with no effect against the fungal 

strains.

CONCLUSION

This review shows that Wrightia tinctoria is an important medicinal plant with diverse 

pharmacological spectrum. Few novel chemical constituent isolated from the Wrightia tinctoria showed anti-cancer, anti-HIV, and anti-diabetic (type 2 diabetic) properties too. Further evaluation need to be carried out on Wrightia tinctoria in order to explore concealed areas and their practical clinical application, which can be used for the welfare of the mankind port in carrying out this study at the laboratory