Tephrosia purpurea is a member of fabaceae family have subfamily of papillonaceae. It is a small herb having extensive variety of healing properties and used widely in many countries across the world. It is a wild plant known as Sarpankh in Hindi, Fish poison in English and found to be effective in treating many chronic degenerative or mild to moderate functional ailments (alcoholic liver cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, pre-cirrhotic condition, protein energy malnutrition, radiation and chemotherapy induced liver damage). Tephrosia purpurea extracts have a wide range of pharmacological activities viz. hepatoprotective, anti-carcinogenic, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiulcer, antihyperglycemic antihyperlipidemia, antilipidperoxidative, immunomodulatory activity, antioxidant, wound healing property, antiallergic activity, ant-inflammatory, anti H. pylori, nephroprotective, haemolysis, antileishmanial, antilithiatic and inhibition of mast cell degranulation etc. This review summarizes the information about its traditional uses, pharmacological profile, biological activities and isolated chemical constituents of the plant.