Balanites aegyptiaca (Linn.) Delile is a xerophytic plant of arid region of Rajasthan. It is a small spiny tree with gregarious habit. It offers food, fodder, medicinal product and fuel wood for subsistence living in desert areas where other options are few. Leaves and fleshy pulp are often used as famine food because they are good source of protein. Present review highlights the ethnomedicinal importance of this taxa. It is used in Ayurvedic and other folk medicines for treatment of various diseases. It is a good source of saponins and steroidal sapogenins and has been reported to contain diosgenin. Therefore it can be utilized as alternate source of Dioscorea deltavadia. Besides its antipathogenic activities in several diseases it has great potential to become a source of biodiesel. Seeing the importance of this taxa, its plantation should be promoted in desert region.