Population thorough out the world makes use of medicinal plants to treat health problems. Adenanthera pavonina, popularly known as red-bead tree, is a medicinal plant traditionally used for the treatment of several diseases. A. pavonina Linn is a deciduous tree, 18-25 m tall, bole erect and 62 cm in diameter. The plant is reported to have a wide range of biological activities, such as astringent and styptic (used in diarrhoea, stomach haemorrhage, haematuria) and anti-inflammatory (in rheumatic, gout), antioxidant and hepatoprotective action. Seeds are anticephalgic and also used for the treatment of paralysis and blood pressure. The whole plants can be extensively studied for further future prospective. We hope that the present review will satisfy the needs to information of A. pavonina both the students and scholar in a similar way.