Significance of ipomoea carnea jacq.: a comprehensive review

Ipomoea carnea Jacq. (Family: Convulvulaceae), the pink morning glory, is a species of morning glory. This plant is formerly from the tropics of South America. This evergreen, flowering shrub has spread to Asia, Africa and North America. It is well dispersed in India and found predominantly in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. It has been described to possess medicinal properties and is used in traditional medicine in several countries. It is used in different traditional medical systems including Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. The stem of I. carnea can be used for making paper. It contains a component identical to marsilin, a sedative and anticonvulsant. A glycosidic saponin has also been purified from I. carnea with anti-carcinogenic and oxytoxic properties. This significant plant is easy-to-grow, fast growing, and is generally problem-free plant that will grow in even the poorest soil conditions. The present communication constitutes a review on the importance of Ipomoea carnea Jacq.