It is a large, woody, climbing shrub with a yellow, corky bark. The seeds possess emetic, diaphoretic, febrifuge and nervine properties and are used for sharpening the memory and also used to cure sores, ulcers, rheumatism and gout. The drug is used in the traditional system of medicine as a sedative. The reported constituents are Mal III A, Mal III B, triterpenoids zeylasterone, and seylasteral. Its therapeutic uses include treating anxiety and beriberi. Alcoholic extract has anti-inflammatory and sedative properties. An herbal extract of the crude drug was tested for its adaptogenic properties, on mice. It showed significant CNS depressant effect and a clear synergism with pentobarbital.