A deciduous, rambling shrub or a tree, up to 10 m in height with a maximum girth of 1.2 m. Bark pale brown, aromatic, rough with shallow cracks, exfoliating in sub-corky scales; leaves alternate, variable in shape, oblong or elliptic oblong, acuminate base rounded or acute, glabrous above and sparsely pubescent beneath, up to 15 cm long, long-petioled; flowers white, fragrant, in axillary fascicles; drupes ellipsoid, black, crowned by persistent calyx, edible; seeds large, enclosed in red, mucilaginous, sweet but rather astringent pulp.

Laxative, astringent, pungent, anthelmintic, purgative and emetic (root bark); alleviates spasms, antiprotozoal and hypoglycemic (leaf).

Ipecac alkaloides (root bark); analgiside and loganic acid (leaf, fruit and root).

For skin disorders, as a laxative and anthelmintic (root bark); in tuberculosis (fruit); in diabetes (leaves).

It contains an alkaloid which when administered in small doses causes a transient fall in blood pressure followed by a sustained rise, depression of the heart, and irregular respiration.

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.