A Brief Account of Phytochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni (Asteraceae) is a shrub like plant.it is also known as candy leaf plant because its leaves contain sweeteners like glycoside – stevioside, steviolbioside, rebaudiosides A, B, C, D, and E and also Dulcoside which is 100-300 more time sweetner than sucrose. Stevia rebaudiana is a versatile herb. Its leaves powder and extract are extremely intensive natural health promoting sweetener. Its high phenolic and flavonoid content are used as a good source of antioxidant. There are many minerals like sodium, potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, iron, nickel etc. present in the leaves of stevia. It is beneficial in the regulation of blood pressure, regulation of glucose, control the obesity and multiple health benefits to humans including hypotensive, antidiabetic, anticariogenic, antioxodative, antimicrobial, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory.