The root contains abromine (betaine), friedelin, abromasterol, abromasterol A, choline, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and octacosanol. Leaves, reported to be useful in treating uterine disorders, contain taraxerol, its acetate and lupeol.

Almost all parts of A. augusta is used in the treatment of various diseases. The root and root bark are reported to be useful as an emmenagogue and uterine tonic for the treatment of congestive and nervous dysmenorrhea prescribed during irregular menses (Nandkarni et al., 2002). The leaves are reported to be useful in treating uterine disorders, diabetes, rheumatic pains of joints, and headache with sinusitis. Other uses of the plant are in stomachache, diabetes, dermatitis, and also in whitish discharge in urine in men (Rahamtullah et al., 2010).

Antidiabetic activity: Different parts like roots, leaves and barks of the plant of A. augusta are used in the treatment of diabetes. The methanolic extract and decoction of the leaves of Devil’s cotton are used in the treatment of alloxan-induced diabetic rats at a dose of 300 mg/kg body weight when administered for seven days (Mishra et al., 2010; Nahar et al., 2010; Chhetri et al., 2005).

It is also effective in combined dosage form with other naturally occurring drugs like Curcuma longa and Coccinia indica for the treatment of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. The combined aqueous extract of A. augusta and C. longa are used in the treatment of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) induced diabetic rats at a dose of 300 mg/kg of body weight. It is also used in combination with C. indica for the treatment of diabetes (Eshrat et al., 2003, Eshrat et al., 2002).

The combined aqueous extract of the leaves of A. augusta and Azadirachta indica (1:1) is used to treat alloxan-induced diabetic rats when administered for 8 weeks (Eshrat et al., 2003).

Antioxidant activity: The extracts were investigated for its antioxidant activity by using hydrogen donation assay method. The methanolic extract of A. augusta showed strongest antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 51.9785 mg/ml. The combination of A. august and C. longa also possess antioxidant activity by inhibiting thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and increase in reduced glutathaione (GSH), superoxide dismustase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) (Eshrat et al., 2002; Nahar et al., 2009).

Anti-inflammatory activity: The methanolic extract of different parts of A. augusta showed potent anti-inflammatory activity as compared to with the standard drug, diclofenac sodium perhaps due to the presence alkaloids and flavonoids present in the plant (Das et al., 2012).

Wound healing activity: Devil’s cotton has been traditionally used for the treatment of sores. The wound healing profile of alcoholic extract of Devil’s cotton and its effect on dexamethasone suppressed wound healing has been evaluated in wistar rats. (Hanif et al., 2010; Khan et al., 2003). 

Hypolipidemic activity: From the experimental studies carried out by the workers showed marked decrease in lipid level in sterptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Aqueous extract of curcumine obtained from C. longa and partially purified product from Devil’s cotton. On blood glucose, lipid per oxidation (LPO) was studied for 8 weeks in Sterptozotocininduced diabetic rats. Result in total decrease in body weight, cholesterol and creatinine (Eshrat et al., 2002).

Antimicrobial activities: The n-hexane extract of the seeds of A. augusta has shown antifungal activity when the extract was evaluated by agar tube dilution method. Antifungal activity of the oil was tested against Trichophytons choenleinii, Pseudallescheri aboydii, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton simii (animal pathogens), Candida albican, Aspergilus niger (human pathogens), Fusarium solani, Macrophomina phaseolina (plant pathogen). Growth in the medium containing the oil was determined by measuring the linear growth (mm) and growth inhibition (%) was calculated with reference to the negative control. The result indicated that the seed oil of ulatkambal possesses moderate activity against human and animal pathogens but no significant activity of the extract was observed against the plant pathogens. The seed oil has the potential to be an antifungal against Trichophyton schoenleinii and Microsporum canis. The oil was also screened against various bacteria like Corynebacterium diphthereae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus morgannim, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Shigella boydii, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes for antibacterial activity and for insecticidal activity it has been tested against Tribolium castaneum, Ryzopartha dominica and Trogoderma granarum (Rahmatullah et al., 2010).

Phytotoxic activity: The oil extracted from the seeds of A. augusta exhibited remarkable phytotoxic activity against Lemna aeguinoctailis Welve. It was also explored to possess moderate antifungal activities against Trichophyton schoenleinii (56%) (human pathogen) and Microsporum canis (50%) (animal pathogen) (Khan et al., 2003). 

Gynecological disturbance: The ethanolic extracts of leaves and stems of Devil’s cotton are also known to be used in menstrual disorders and diseases of uterus (leucorrhoea). It shows contractile action on the uterus, and is used for the treatment of dysmenorrhea, amenorrhorea, sterility and other menstrual disorders. Powdered roots act as an abortifacient and anti-fertility agent and its petroleum-ether extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight showed anti-inplantation as well as abortifacient action in mice. Significant abortifacient activity was also noticed with alcoholic and chloroform extracts. The alcoholic extract of the roots showed acetyl choline-like action, comparable to that of choline on isolated smooth and skeletal muscles. The aqueous extract of the roots showed oxytocic action. It has also been reported to possess galactotrophic effect on lactating albino rats (Gupta et al., 2011).

Thrombolytic activity: The extract of Devil’s cotton was assessed for thrombolytic activity. Addition of 100-µl Streptokinase, a positive control to the clots along with 90 minutes of incubation at 37ºC, showed 86.2% clot lysis. Clots when treated with 100-µl sterile distilled water (negative control) showed only negligible clot lysis (5.2%). The main difference in percentage of clot lysis between positive and negative control was found to be statistically significant.

After treatment of clots with 100 µl of A. augusta extract 50.1, 42.9 and 41.6% clot lysis were  obtained. Among these clot lysis, Devil’s cotton showed significant (50.1%) clot lysis and when compared with the negative control (water) the mean clot lysis % difference was significant. However, further study is necessary to find out the thrombolytic activity of the active compound (Bhuiya et al., 2013). Other activity: The leaves of A. augusta have membrane stabilizing activities (Rahman et al., 2016). Ulatkambal mother tincture, a traditional homeopathic remedy is used clinically to treat people with diabetes. It is reported to have activity in managing the high blood sugar (Reddy et al., 2018).

The protective effect of defatted methanol extract of Devil’s cotton leaves is known against type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its associated nephropathy and cardiomyopathy in experimental rats. Devil’s cotton could offer prophylactic role against T2DM and its associated cardio-toxicity (Khanra et al., 2015)