Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine in which herbal therapies were used systematically. Plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before prehistoric period. Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine continue to be widely practiced on many accounts. There is an unprecedented growing interest in natural triterpenes in the last few decades due to the discovery of their potential biological and pharmacological activities. Plant terpenoids are used extensively for their aromatic qualities. They play a role in traditional herbal remedies and are under investigation for anti bacterial, anti neoplastics, and other pharmaceutical functions. Triterpenoids possess a rich chemistry and pharmacology with several pentacyclic motifs. Triterpenoids isolated and characterized from various sources are reviewed. The biological activities and health benefits of the triterpenoids are also discussed.