RESUMO
Tamarindus indica Linn. tamarinds,belonging to the family Caesalpiniaceae,is a kind of large subtropical ever?green tree. Every part of tamarind has rich nutritional value and broad usage in traditional medicine since ancient times. Recent studies suggest extraction of leaves,flesh,seeds,and velamina of T. indica Linn. have numerous biological activities such as anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory,detoxification,analgesic,antidiabetic and anti-hyperlipidemiactions. A great interest has been seen in various sec?ondary metabolites isolated and identified from chemical components of T. indica Linn. In this review article,we summarize recent achievement in chemical components and biological activities of T. indica Linn.,aiming to provide a useful reference for further study and exploitation of T. indica Linn..