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______Review Article

Pharmacological Profile of marsupium with a note on its Therapeutic Activity: A Review

Abhishek N* and Karunakar Hegde Department of Pharmacology, Srinivas College of Pharmacy, Valachil, Post- Farangipete, Mangalore- 574 143, Karnataka, . ______ABSTRACT (Leguminosae), commonly known as Bijayasara or Asana in Bengali, Bijasal in Hindi, Indian kino or Malabar kino in English, is a large deciduous tree widely distributed in the central, Western and Southern regions of India. It is an important medicinal of Indian traditional system of medicines and has been used in India for several medicinal purposes. It is a good source of tannins and hence used as powerful astringent, cooling, constipating, anodyne, alternant, rejuvenating agent and also in treatment of fractures, bruises, leprosy, leucoderma, diarrhea and dysentery, passive haemorrhage, toothache and in diabetes. It is also used as anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, analgesic and in treatment of indigestion, diabetic anaemia, gout, Rheumatoid arthritis, cough, asthma, bronchitis, greyness of hair, elephantiasis, erysipelas, urethrorrhea and ophthalmic complications. This paper reports on its pharmacognostic properties such as antidiabetic, antioxidant, analgesic, antibacterial, hepato-protective, anti-inflammatory and memory enhancing activities of Pterocarpus marsupium.

Keywords: Pterocarpus marsupium, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Hepato-protective.

INTRODUCTION costly synthetic drugs, many of which have Use of as a source of medicine has been adverse side effects4. an ancient practice and is an important The basis of systems among traditional component of the health care system in medicine has been derived from plants which India.Nature has bestowed on us a very rich have given rise to some important drugs still in botanical wealth and a large number of diverse use today. A lot many of Countries have known type of plants growing in different parts of the the importance of herbal medicinal plants that country. Plants form a major part of the brings more cure. Existence of the plants and therapeutic ingredients in almost all systems of their use to treat diseases are as old as man. medical sciences1. Herbal medicines have been Dependability of man on plants has in no way used since the dawn of civilization to maintain decreased, although there are comprehensive health and to treat diseases.In the recent few documentations of the plants, used for their years, researchers have attention on medicinal medicinal properties including parts such as plants for the development of new drug. Many of leaves, stem and roots. Decoctions of plants are evidences are available to demonstrate the used for the treatment of diseases such as potential of medicinal plants used in various diabetes, stroke, urinary problems, asthma, traditional, complementary and alternative stomachache, hypertension, diarrhea and systems of medicines. The world health wounds. People have been using plants as a organization estimates that plant extracts or their source of medicine since the beginning of active constituents are used as folk medicine in human civilization perhaps as early as traditional therapies of 80% of the world Neanderthal man, plants were believed to have 2 population . Over 50% of all modern clinical healing power. The traditional society across the 3 world has always used herbs to promote drugs are of natural product origin . Interest in healing. In today's world herbal medicine is the plant derived drugs has been increasing, mainly most predominant means of healthcare in due to the current widespread belief that “green developing countries where about 80% of their medicine” is safer and more dependable than total population depends on it for their well being. Plants form the basis for the development

International Journal of Pharma And Chemical Research I Volume 3 I Issue 1 I Jan – Mar I 2017 ISSN 2395-3411 Available online at www.ijpacr.com 33 of modern drugs and medicinal plants have constituents like pterostilbene, (-)-epicatechin, been used for many years to treat disease all pterosupin, marsupsin, etc. have been identified throughout the world in the daily course of life. and isolated. It also shows promising results in World health organization reports that 70% of treatment of cataract13 and populations from many countries use herbal hypertriglyceridaemia14. This plant also finds its medicines to cure various ailments.Since a long use as cardiotonic15,16, hypoglycaemic17, anti- time plants have represented the only source of hyperinsulinaemic18,antifungal19, cox-2 inhibitor20 therapeutical agents known to man. Plants have and hepatoprotective agent21. The flowers are become the primary source of substances for used in the treatment of fever. Pterocarpus drug development5.Awareness of medicinal marsupium is a multipurpose leguminous tree. plants usage is a result of the many years of Heart wood is astringent, bitter, acrid, cooling, struggles against illnesses due to which man anti-inflammatory, depurative, haemostatic, learned to pursue drugs in barks, seeds, fruit revulsive, anthelmintic, constipating and bodies and other parts of the plants6.In rejuvenating. The wood is also useful in chest developing countries, all over the world, 80% of pain, body pain, and indigestion.The paste of population continues to use traditional medicine seed and wood is useful in diabetic anaemia. in primary medical problems7. In the rural areas, The paste of heart wood is useful in body pain people collect their requirements of medicinal and diabetes. Wood of the tree is useful in plants from forests and communities practiced making the water glasses of the diabetic sustainable concepts with minimal damage to patients. Bark is useful in vitiated condition of the habitats in which these precious plants are kapha and pitta, elephantiasis, erysipelas, found. Medicinal plants are plants containing urethrorrhea, rectalgia, opthalmopathy, inherent active ingredients used to cure disease hemorrhages, dysentery, cough and greyness of or relieve pain8. The use of traditional medicines hair. Aqueous infusions of the bark possess and medicinal plants in most developing antidiabetic potentia22. The powdered bark is countries as therapeutic agents for the mixed with Schleichera oleosa and taken with maintenance of good health has often been cold water to treat dysentery. Stem bark is used reported9. to treat the wounds, fever, stomachache, Pterocarpus marsupium (Roxb.) is a deciduous diabetes and elephantiasis. Bark is useful in tree, commonly called as Indian Kino tree or urinary discharge and piles. The gum Kino is MalabarKino, belonging to the family . externally applied to leucorrhoea.Gum Kino is It is a medium to large sized tree reaching height used in the treatment of polyurea and inordinate up to 15-20 meter with dark brown to grey bark night sweat and phthisis plumonalis. having swallow cracks. The bark exudes a red The Kino powder may be dusted on ulcers and gummy substance called „Gum Kino‟ when bleeding surfaces. The gum is used in the injured. Leaves are compound and toothache and leaves paste is applied in imaparipinate. Flowers are yellow in terminal wounds. Bruised leaves are useful in boils panicles. Fruit is circular, flat, winged pod. Seed sores, skin diseases, stomachic and cholera. is convex and bony Tree flowers and fruits in the Leaf juice is given in purulent discharges from month of March to June10. ear; plant is usefulin snakebite and scorpion Pterocarpus marsupium is distributed in sting. Fruit cures biliousness and kapha. deciduous forest throughout the India.It is native Flowersare bitter, sweet, cooling, appetizing, to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. In India, it occurs febrifuge, aphrodisiac and used in fever, often in parts of the in the Karnataka- used to treat biliousness, mental aberrations and region. It is also found to grow in parts of ulcers23,24. The bruised leaves are considered states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, useful as an external application for boils, sores Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, and skin diseases. P. marsupium is widely used Rajasthan, Tamilnadu, Uttar Pradesh, West in 'Ayurveda' as 'Rasayana' for management of Bengal and Goa. It is also known by the names various metabolic disorders including Malabar Kino, Benga, Bijiayasal (in western hyperlipidemia25, 26. Also used to improve eye Nepal), Piasal (Oriya)11, Venkai (Tamil), and sight27. In combination with other drugs the many others12. wood is used to treat snake bites and scorpion Leaves are used for food and manure.Its main stings28. Its toxicity, wound healing potential also chemical constituent is a glucosidal tannin evaluated in animal studies29 and also show namely kinotannic acid. Several other chemical antioxidant and antimicrobial activity30.

International Journal of Pharma And Chemical Research I Volume 3 I Issue 1 I Jan – Mar I 2017 ISSN 2395-3411 Available online at www.ijpacr.com 34

THERAPEUTIC USES marsupsin, and pterosupin as antidiabetic Analgesic activity agents, in the ethyl acetate-solubleportion of This study assessed three different successive aqueous extracts of the heartwood. However, solvent extracts from P. marsupium leaf for their marsupsin and pterostilbene significantly analgesic potential by acetic acid induced lowered blood glucose in hyperglycemic rats and writhing assay in Swiss albino mice. Intra- effect was comparable to Metformin32.An peritoneal injection of phenyl paraquinone, aqueous extract of Pterocarpus marsupium bradykinin or dilute acetic acid (1-3% v/v) wood was screened for hypoglycemic activity on produces pain reaction that is characterized as alloxan-induced diabetic rats. During both acute writhing response.All the test extracts exhibited and sub-acute tests, the water extract, at an oral significant analgesic activity. The methanol dose of 250 mg/kg, showed statistically extract was found to be the most potent followed significant hypoglycemic activity. In diabetic rats, by the ethyl acetate and petroleum ether aqueous extract cannot act indirectly by extracts respectively. The better analgesic stimulating the release of insulin since alloxan effects of ethylacetate and methanol extracts treatment causes permanent destruction of b- may be due to the presence of polyphenols in cells. The anti-hyperglycemic effect in the them.The present preliminary study alloxan-diabetic rats suggests that its main demonstrated marked analgesic activity of P. mechanism may not be due to potentiation marsupium leaf in Swiss albino mice31. ofinsulin release from pancreatic cells and thus the drug may be effective in insulin independent Antidiabetic activity diabetes33. The bark of Pterocarpus marsupium is traditionally used in Indian Ayurveda system of Antioxidant activity medicine as an anti-diabetic drug. An active Antioxidant activity of aqueous, ethyl acetate principle (-) epicatechin was isolated from the and methanol extracts of the bark of Indian Kino ethanolic extract of the bark by Chakraborty BK tree Pterocarpus marsupium have been tested et al in 1982. They reported the presence of using various antioxidant model systems, viz three phenolic principles, pterostilbene, DPPH, ABTS, NO, OH, SO and inhibition of in

International Journal of Pharma And Chemical Research I Volume 3 I Issue 1 I Jan – Mar I 2017 ISSN 2395-3411 Available online at www.ijpacr.com 35 vitro lipid peroxidation. The total antioxidant was tested against Gram-positive bacteria i.e. potential has been assessed by FRAP assay. Bacillus coagulans and Escherichia coli, gram Methanol extract of Pterocarpus marsupium is negative bacteria. Evaluations were based on found to possess highest DPPH radical the inhibition zone using disc diffusion assay. scavenging activity followed by aqueous and Where Ciprofloxacin was used as a standard ethyl acetate extracts. The aqueous extract of drug to compare the results of experimental Pterocarpus marsupium exhibits potent ABTS plants. All concentrations of the extract showed scavenging activity. The nitric oxide scavenging varying degrees of inhibition against both the activity of Pterocarpus marsupium ethyl acetate bacterial strains. 100 mg/ml concentration extract records the highest. With respect to showed higher zone of inhibition as compared hydroxyl radical scavenging, all the three solvent with the standard drug with both the tested extracts of Pterocarpus marsupium present high bacteria. Results showed that Pterocarpus activities on par with each other. Methanol marsupium showed highly significant results extract of Pterocarpus marsupium is found to against both the bacteria35. possess higher superoxide scavenging activity at lower concentrations as compared to the Hepatoprotective activity other extracts. All the three extracts of Hepatotoxicity was induced in male Wistar rats Pterocarpus marsupium are also found to be by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4. Methanol good inhibitors of in vitro lipid peroxidation. and aqueous extracts of P. marsupium stem Saturation in the scavenging activity has been bark were administered to the experimental rats attained in a concentration dependent manner. (25 mg/kg/day, p.o. for 14 days). The This study indicated significant free radical hepatoprotective effect of these extracts was scavenging potential of Pterocarpus marsupium evaluated by the assay of liver function bark which can be exploited for the treatment of biochemical parameters (total bilirubin, serum various free radical mediated ailments34. protein, alanine amino transaminase, aspartate amino transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase Anti-inflammatory activity activities) and histopathological studies of the Several plant have been traditionally liver. In methanol extract-treated animals, the used as anti-inflammatory agents. The use of P. toxic effect of CCl4 was controlled significantly marsupium to cure boils, gleet (a watery by restoration of the levels of serum bilirubin, discharge from the urethra caused by protein and enzymes as compared to the normal gonorrhoeal infection), urethrorrhea, odontalgia, and the standard drug silymarin treated groups. psoriasis, and wounds has long history in Indian Histology of the liver sections of the animals medicine. However, the aqueous extract of P. treated with the extracts showed the presence of marsupium was reported to possess anti- normal hepatic cords, absence of necrosis and inflammatory activity. The research work to fatty infiltration, which further evidenced the check the anti-inflammatory effect of this plant hepatoprotective activity. This result showed that was carried out by Mohammed Rageeb et al. methanol extract of the stem bark of P. They subjected the aqueous and methanol marsupium possesses significant extracts to assess anti inflammatory effect by hepatoprotective activity36,37. acute inflammation model using carrageenan induced rat paw Edema technique. Their results Memory enhancing activity indicated that methanol extract (50mg/kg) Dementia is a mental disorder characterized by showed good significant (p<0.001) reduction in loss of intellectual ability sufficiently severe as to paw Edema from 2nd to 4th hour when interfere with one‟s occupational or social compared to control group and near similar activities and it aqueous extract was significant after 1st hour at invariably involves impairment of memory. 100mg/kg concentration. Thus, they concluded Centrally acting anti-muscarinic drugs (e.g. that both extracts (100mg/kg) of treated group scopolamine) impair learning and memory both showed good significant anti-inflammatory in animals and human beings. Because of the activity32. harmful effects of these so used drugs, in the recent years, there has been a phenomenal rise Antibacterial activity in the interest of scientific community to explore The study was designed to evaluate the the pharmacological action or to confirm veracity antibacterial activity of Pterocarpus marsupium of claims made about herbs. However several (Stem) methanol extract. Antimicrobial activity plants have been reported to possess nootropic

International Journal of Pharma And Chemical Research I Volume 3 I Issue 1 I Jan – Mar I 2017 ISSN 2395-3411 Available online at www.ijpacr.com 36 activity. The phytochemical tests of methanol 4. Parekh J, Chanda S. In vitro extract of P. marsupium showed the presence of antimicrobial activities of extracts of saponins, tannins and flavonoids. It is known Launeaprocum bens Roxb. (Labiateae), that saponin compounds have nootropic Vitis vinifera L. (Vitaceae) and activities, which partially explain the mechanism CyperusrotundusL. (Cyperaceae). Afr J of action of extract. Bhupendra C and Amrendra Biomed Res.2006; 9: 89-93. K.C investigated the effects of methanol extract 5. Mithun M, Sharmistha G. Pterocarpus of P. marsupium Roxb. on learning and memory marsupium: A phytopharmacognostic in albino mice. The mice administered with 25 study. Int J of Current Advanced mg/kg of the extract could significantly maintain Research. 2015;4( 10): 461-4. the equilibrium on the rotating rod. 6. Stuffness M,Douros J. Current status of Administration of P. marsupium significantly the NCI plant and animal product ameliorated scopolamine induced amnesia in program. Nat Prod. 1998;45(1):1-14. elevated plus maze test as indicated by increase 7. Grover JK, Yadav SP. Pharmacological in inflexion ratio and reduction in transfer actions and potential uses of Momordica latency. In a way they investigated that P. charantia: a review. J Ethnopharmacol. marsupium can be a promising memory- 2004;93:123-32. enhancing agent. 8. Okigbo RN, Eme UE, Ogbogu S. Biodiversity and conservation of CONCLUSION medicinal and aromatic plants in Africa. Methanolic extracts from the P. marsupium leaf Biotechnol. MolBiol Rev.2008;3:127-34. showed analgesic potential similar to the 9. Smith JR, Karunaratne NS and standard drug. The better analgesic effects of Mahindapala R. Rapid inventory of wild methanol extracts may be due to the presence medicinal plant populations in Sri Lanka. of polyphenols in them. An aqueous extract of BiolConcerv, 2006;132:22-32. Pterocarpus marsupium wood was found to 10. Hari PU, Dattatraya KG. Pterocarpus lower the blood glucose level in alloxan-induced marsupium: A valuable medicinal plant diabetic rats. Methanol extract of Pterocarpus in diabetes management. Int J Applied marsupium bark is found to possess highest Biology and Pharmaceutical antioxidant activity. Hence Pterocarpus Technology.2011;2(3):6-13. marsupium bark can be used for the treatment 11. Centre. Pterocarpus marsupium. Listed of various free radicals mediated ailments. The as Vulnerable (VU A1cd v2.3). IUCN aqueous extract of P. marsupium was reported Red List of Threatened Species. to possess anti-inflammatory activity.Methanolic www.iucnredlist.org. 2006. extract of Pterocarpus marsupium stem showed 12. Rout SD,Thatoi HN. Ethnomedical highly significant results against both gram practices ofKol tribes in Similipal positive and gram negative bacteria. Methanol Biosphere Reserve, Orissa, India. and aqueous extracts of P. marsupium stem Ethnobotanical Leaflets. 2009; 13: 379– bark possesses significant hepatoprotective 87. activity. P. marsupium can be a promising 13. Vats V, Yadav SP, Biswas NR, Grover memory-enhancing agent. JK. Anti-cataract activity of Pterocarpus marsupium bark and Trigonella foenum- REFERENCES graecum seeds extract in alloxan 1. Jain S. Important medicinal plants of diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004; Madhya Pradesh. Proceedings of ICA. 93(2-3): 289-94. 2000:172-3. 14. Jahromi MAF, Ray AB. 2. WHO (World Health Organization). Antihyperlipidaemic effect of flavonoids Summary of WHO guidelines for the from Pterocarpus marsupium. J Nat assessment of herbal medicines.1993; Prod 1993; 56(7): 989-994. 28: 13-4. 15. Chakravarthy BK, Gode KD. Isolation of 3. Baker JT, Borris RP, Carte B. Natural (-)Epicatechin from Pterocarpus product drug discovery and marsupium and its pharmacological development; New perspective on actions. Planta Med 1985; 51(1): 56-9. international collaboration. J Nat Prod. 16. Mohire NC, Salunke VR, Bhinse SB, 1995; 58: 1325. Yadav AV. Cardiotonic activity of aqueous extract of heartwood of

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