Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Avartani (Helicteres isora L.), traditionally known as the Indian screw tree, is a medicinal plant of considerable importance in Ayurveda and other folk systems of healing. Its spirally twisted fruit has made it easily recognizable and symbolically associated with its Sanskrit name Avartani. Classical Ayurvedic literature records its usage in gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea and dysentery, metabolic disorders such as prameha, infectious diseases, and fevers. The plant is endowed with kashaya rasa (astringent taste), laghu guna (lightness), and sheeta veerya (cooling potency), which correspond to its stambhana and krimighna actions. Modern pharmacognostic and phytochemical investigations have confirmed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, phenolics, sterols, saponins, and glycosides that provide a broad pharmacological spectrum including anti-diarrheal, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. This review synthesizes information from Ayurvedic texts, pharmacognostic features, phytochemical data, and pharmacological validations to provide a comprehensive narrative on the therapeutic insights of Avartani, situating it within the Ayurvedic and naturopathic framework. Emphasis is placed on its role in classical formulations, its potential in preventive and holistic medicine, and its relevance as a sustainable plant resource in contemporary naturopathy.