Sachdeva Kamal et al. IRJP 2 (4) 2011 61-66

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACY ISSN 2230 – 8407 Available online http://www.irjponline.com Review Article

A REVIEW ON CHEMICAL AND MEDICOBIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS OF CURCAS Sachdeva Kamal*, Singhal Manmohan, Srivastava Birendra Department of pharmacology, Jaipur National University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Article Received on: 20/02/2011 Revised on: 23/03/2011 Approved for publication: 02/04/2011

*Kamal Sachdeva, Research associate, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jaipur National University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT Jatropha curcas, a multipurpose, drought resistant, perennial belonging to family is gaining lot of importance for the production of biodiesel. It is a tropical plant that can be grown in low to high rainfall areas either in the farms as a commercial crop or on the boundaries as a hedge to protect fields from grazing animals and to prevent erosion. Before exploiting any plant for industrial application, it is imperative to have complete information about its biology, chemistry, and all other applications so that the potential of plant could be utilized maximally. The , botanical description of the plant, its distribution and ecological requirement are discussed in this paper. The detailed information about the presence of various chemicals including toxins in different parts of the plant is summarized. The possibilities of potential of plant for various pharmacological activities have been summarized. The information about the toxins and detoxification methods is collected and discussed. Overall, this paper gives an overview on covering the biology, chemistry, toxicity of seeds and detoxification and various industrial uses. KEYWORDS: Jatropha curcus, Euphorbiaceae, biodiesel

INTRODUCTION Botanical description of Jatropha curcas The genus Jatropha belongs to tribe Joannesieae in the Jatropha curcas L., or physic nut, has thick glorious Euphorbiaceae family and contains approximately 170 branchlets. Its botanical description is given in figure 2. 1 known species . Jatropha (figure1), a drought-resistant The tree has a straight trunk and grey or reddish bark, shrub or tree, is widely distributed in the wild or semi- masked by large white patches. It has green leaves with a cultivated areas in Central and South America, Africa, length and width of 6 to 15 cm, with 5 to 7 shallow India and South East Asia2. It was the first to name the lobes. The leaves are arranged alternately. Dormancy is physic nut Jatropha L. in “Species Plantarum” and this is induced by fluctuations in rainfall and temperature/light. still valid today. The genus name Jatropha derives from But not all trees respond simultaneously. In a hedge you the Greek word jatr´os (doctor) and troph´e (food), which may have branches without leaves and next to them, implies medicinal uses1. Curcus is common name for the branches full of green leaves. The branches contain physic nut in Malabar, India. The physic nut, by whitish latex, which causes brown stains, which are very definition, is a small tree or large shrub, which can reach difficult to remove. Normally, five roots are formed from a height of three to five meters, but under favourable seeds: one tap root and 4 lateral roots. from conditions it can attain a height of 8 or 10m. The plant cuttings develop only lateral roots. are can be used to prevent soil erosion, to reclaim land, formed terminally on branches. The plant is monoecious grown as a live fence, especially to exclude farm animals and flowers are unisexual. Pollination is by insects. After and also planted as a commercial crop3. Various parts of pollination, a trilocular ellipsoidal fruit is formed. The the plant are of medicinal value, its bark contains tannin, exocarp remains fleshy until the seeds are mature. The the flowers attract bees and thus the plant has a honey seeds are black and in the average 18 mm long (11 – 30) production potential. Its wood and fruit can be used for and 10 mm wide ripe Jatropha fruits (7 – 11). The life- numerous purposes including fuel4. It is easy to establish span of the Jatropha curcas plant is more than 50 years. and grows relatively quickly. The purpose of this review Roots Normally, five roots are formed from seedlings, is to provide information about current development in one central and four peripheral. A tap root is not usually the field of Jatropha research. formed by vegetatively propagated plants5.

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Leaves Leaves five to seven lobed, hypostomatic and ECOLOGY stomata are of paracytic (Rubiaceous) type6. These are Jatropha curcas L. is not a weed. It is not self large green to pale green colours. propagating. It has to be planted. It grows well with more Flowers The trees are deciduous, flowering occurs than 600 mm of rainfall per year, and it withstands long during the wet season and in permanently humid regions, drought periods. With less than 600 mm it cannot grow flowering occurs throughout the year. The except in special conditions like on Cape Verde Islands, is axillary paniculate polychasial cymes. Male and where the rainfall is only 250 mm, but the humidity of female flowers are produced on the same inflorescence, the air is very high (rain harvesting). It cannot stand averaging 20 male flowers to each female flower or 10 frost. It survives a very light frost, but it loses all leaves. male flowers to each female flower. The plant is The production of seeds will probably go down monoecious and flowers are unisexual; occasionally sharply11. hermaphrodite flowers occur. A flower is formed USES OF JATROPHA CURCAS terminally, individually, with female flowers India is by far the country with the largest potential for (tricarpellary, syncarpous with trilocular ovary) usually Jatropha, the most advanced discussion, high-level slightly larger and occurs in the hot seasons. The decisions, biggest number and types of institutions length ranges between 6-23 mm. In conditions where involved and the broadest variety of experiences in the continuous growth occurs, an unbalance of pistillate or field of Jatropha, including most related issues and staminate flower production results in a higher number questions. India has the largest rural and agricultural of female flowers. Ten stamens are arranged in two population, severe problems with soil degradation, distinct whorls of five each in a single column in the erosion and deforestation, and a scaring decrease of androecium, and in close proximity to each other. In the water supply and depletion of aquifers. At the same time gynoecium, the three slender styles are connate to about salaries, farm incomes and food supplies are low, farm two-thirds of their length, dilating to massive bifurcate labour is mostly available; there is a need for an stigma. The rare hermaphrodite flowers can be integrated farm management and an alarming overuse of selfpollinating7. resources. Rural energy and electricity supply is Stem The branches contain latex8. insufficient and further depleting resources, mainly Fruits Each inflorescence yields a bunch of through forest and dung use. Petrol-oil sources are said approximately 10 or more ovoid fruits. Fruits are to deplete in 20 years at present consumption rates, with produced in winter, or there may be several crops during 70% being imported at present. India has almost one the year if soil moisture is good and temperatures are third of agricultural lands degraded and has between 50 sufficiently high. Three, bivalve coccid is formed after and 150 Mio ha of not used, underused or degraded land, the seeds mature and the fleshy exocarp dries9. for reasons of and as a result of overuse, drought, erosion Seed The seeds are mature when the changes and deforestation. from green to yellow about 3–4 months after flowering. There is an impressive history and diversity of farming The seeds are black and the seed weight per 1000 is systems, agro-industries and organisational structures. As about 727 g, there are 1375 seeds/kg in the average. The well, there is an outstanding biodiversity (45.000 wild physic nut is a diploid species with 2n = 22 species of plant, 77.000 wild species of animals chromosomes10. recorded) and its use for a variety of purposes in DISTRIBUTION different regions of the country, even though still Jatropha curcas L. originates from Central America. reducing at a rapid rate. At the same time, India has From the Caribbean, Jatropha curcas was probably decided upon internationally by far the most impressive distributed by Portuguese seafarers via the Cape Verde and comprehensive National Program on Jatropha Islands and former Portuguese Guinea (now Guinea promotion; this in terms of level of political involvement, Bissau) to other countries in Africa and Asia. Jatropha the broad and integrated objectives meant to be reached grows almost anywhere except waterlogged lands, even and the level of funds being made available. Jatropha on gravelly, sandy and saline soils. It will grow under a projects are documented to be carried out since 1991 wide range of rainfall regimes from 250 to over 1200 with disappointing results. However, there is now more mm per annum. Today it is cultivated in almost all experience, better expertise about the strengths and tropical and subtropical countries11. weaknesses and success factors in India available, even though not yet well compiled. As well, Jatropha efforts

IRJP 2 (4) 2011 Page 61-66 Sachdeva Kamal et al. IRJP 2 (4) 2011 61-66 have a much better Government backing now than ten curcas, J. dioica, J. elliptica, J. multifida, J. podagrica years ago. and J. mollissima were established, but most of the cell Jatropha curcas L. is planted in the form of hedges lines tested accumulated no, or only small quantities of around gardens or fields to protect the crops against jatrophone. The maximum jatrophone accumulation (3 roaming animals like cattle or goats and to reduce μg. g[-l] dry weight) was obtained with callus and erosion caused by water and/or wind12. suspension cultures derived from J. curcas and J. Uses of different parts of jaropha curcas plant are given elliptica. Root-organ cultures of J. elliptica formed in table 1. following incubation of suspension cells in the presence The superior quality oil can be extracted from the seeds. of 3-indolebutyric acid (5 mg. L[-l]). The maximum The oil can be used as a mixed fuel for diesel/gasoline accumulation of jatrophone and the jatropholones in engines. The Jatropha curcas L. plant is used as a newly initiated roots grown in vitro was 329 and 458 μg. medicinal plant such as seeds against constipation; sap g[-l] dry weight, respectively. The effects on diterpenoid for wound healing; leaves as tea against malaria etc. accumulation by root-organs of alteration of In Comore islands, in Papua New Guinea and in Uganda environmental parameters, and of the addition of Jatropha curcas L. plants are used as a support plant for chitosan, Benomyl and Al[3+] to the growth medium vanilla plants; as a source of shade for coffee plants in were investigated. The yield of jatrophone was Cuba13,14. significantly increased in the presence of 0.07-0.7 PHYTOCHEMISTRY OF JATROPHA CURCAS mmol/L Al[3+], and the product profile was altered Chemical composition of various parts of Jatropha concomitantly. curcas plant is given in table 2. Antioxidant activity Three deoxypreussomerins, palmarumycins CP1, JC1, Hydro-alcoholic extract of the leaves, stem and root of JC2 were isolated from stem of Jatropha curcas L. in Jatropha curcas L had showed significant antioxidant which JC1 and JC2 showed the antibacterial activity20. activity using in vitro antioxidant models like DPPH Jatropha oil contains approximately 24.60% of crude radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide radical protein, 47.25% of crude fat, and 5.54% of moisture scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging contents. Numerous sources are available on the fatty activity, reducing power method and hydrogen peroxide acid composition of physic nut oil originating from radical scavenging activity28. different countries. The oil fraction of Jatropha contains Hepatoprotective activity saturated fatty acids mainly palmitic acid (16:0) with Methanolic fraction of Jatropha curcas L. showed 14.1% and stearic acid (18:0) with 6.7%. Unsaturated hepatoprotective activity on aflatoxin b1 induced hepatic fatty acids consisted of oleic acid (18:1) with 47.0%, and carcinoma in animals29. linoleic acid (18:2) with 31.6%. The oil with high Wound healing activity percentage of monounsaturated oleic and Herbal ointment containing the leaf and bark extract of polyunsaturated inoleic acid has a semi-drying property Jatropha curcas L. in wistar albino rats accelerates the (partially hardens when the oil is exposed to air). This healing process by increasing the skin breaking strength, semi-drying oil could be an efficient substitute for diesel granulation tissue breaking strength, wound contraction, fuel. Treatment of plants with growth regulators dry granulation tissue weight and hydroxyproline significantly influenced the production of hydrocarbons. levels30. Among the treatments, ethephon and morphactin induced Antimetastatic and Antiproliferative activity the maximum production of hydrocarbon with 5.0 and Methanolic fraction of Jatropha curcas L. was studied 5.4% respectively27. for its anti-metastatic activity using B16F10 melanoma PHARMACOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF PLANT cells in C57BL/6 mice. It was studied using MTT (3- The oil has a strong purgative action and is also widely [4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium used for skin diseases and to soothe rheumatic pain. A bromide; Thiazolyl blue) assay and the IC50 was found decoction of leaves is used against cough and as an to be 24.8 μg/ml31. antiseptic after birth. In a number of species of the genus Antimicrobial activity Jatropha, used in folk medicine in tropical areas, the Methanolic, ethanolic and water extracts of stem bark active principle is the macrocyclic diterpenoid from Jatropha curcas L. possesses the invitro jatrophone, which co-occurs with the inactive antimicrobial activity against S.aureus, P.aeruginosa, diterpenoids jatropholone A and B. Callus and E.coli, S.faecalis and other microbes32. suspension cultures of Jatropha cathartica, J. cinerea, J.

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Antidiabetic activity leachates increased the RMP and proline content in the Antihyperglycemic effect of 50% ethanolic extract of roots of marigold seedlings. leaves of Jatropha curcas L. was studied in normal and CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS alloxan induced diabetic rats33. The Jatropha industry is at a very early stage of Anti-inflammatory activity development. There are areas in the world where interest The methanol extract exhibited systemic and significant in the plant is especially strong, such as Central America anti-inflammatory activity in acute carrageenan-induced where it was originated, and Mali, where it is widely rat paw edema. It also showed activity against formalin- grown as a live hedge and a lot of research has been done induced rat paw edema, as well as, turpentine-induced on biodiesel derived from it. Jatropha is one among exudative changes and cotton pellet-induced granular many oil seeds that can be used to produce biodiesel, tissue formation in mice and rats34. soap and fertilizer. Knowledge of physical properties and Pregnancy terminating effect their dependence on moisture content of Jatropha seed is Foetal resorption was observed with methanol, petroleum essential to improve the design of equipment for ether and dichloromethane extracts indicating the harvesting, processing and storage of seeds. Currently, abortifacient properties of the fruit in rats. It suggested growers are unable to achieve the optimum economic that the interruption of pregnancy occurred at an early benefits from the plant, especially for its various uses. stage after implantation35. The markets of different products from this plant have Antiulcer activity not been properly explored or quantified. It is examine Methanolic extract of Jatropha curcas L. showed the the potential role that Jatropha can play in meeting some antiulcer activity using aspirin induced gastric lesions in of the needs for energy services for rural communities wister rats36. and also creating avenues for greater employment. Anthelmintic activity REFERENCES Aqueous extract of leaves have anthelmintic activity 1. Linnaeus C. Species plantarum. In: Jatropha. Impensis Laurentii 37 Salvii, Stockholm, 1753; 1006–1007. against Pheretima Poshtuma . 2. Cano-Asseleih LM. Chemical investigation of Jatropha curcas Antifungal Activities L. seeds. Ph.D. Thesis. University of London. U.K., 1986. The ethanolic extract of Jatropha curcas L. seed cake 3. Heller J. Physic Nut. Jatropha curcas L. 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13. Datta SK, Pandey RK. Establishment of callus and suspension Jatropha curcas (Linn). African Journal of Pharmacy and culture in Jatropha curcas. Applied Botany Abstracts 1993; Pharmacology 2009; 3(2):58-62. 1(2):108-118. 33. Mishra SB, Vijayakumar M, Ojha SK, Verma A. Antidiabetic 14. Ravindranath N, Reddy MR, Mahender G, Ramu R, Kumar KR, effect of Jatropha curcas L. leaves extract in normal and Das B. Deoxypreussomerins from Jatropha curcas: are they also alloxan-induced diabetic rats. International general of plant metabolites. Phytochemistry 2004; 65(16):2387-90. pharmaceutical sciences 2010; 2(1):482-487. 15. Duke JA. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. CRC Press, Boca 34. Mujumdar AM, Misar AV. Anti-inflammatory activity of Raton, FL, 1988; 253–254. Jatropha curcas roots in mice and rats. Journal of 16. Kaushik N, Kumar K, Kumar S, Kaushik N, Roy S. Genetic Ethanopharmacology 2004; 90(1):11-15. variability and divergence studies in seed traits and oil content of 35. 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Evaluation and Table 1: Uses of different parts of J. curcas L. in medicines15-19 bioinduction of energy components of Jatropha curcas. Biomass Plant part Uses Bioenergy 2002; 23:161–164. used Seeds To treat arthritis, gout, jaundice & as contraceptives 23. Khafagy SM, Mohamed YA, Abdel NA, Mahmoud ZF. Nuts Contraceptive Phytochemical study of Jatropha curcas. Plant Med. 1977; Bark As fish poison 31:274–277. Latex To inhibit watermelon mosaic virus 24. Hufford CD, Oguntimein BO. Non-polar constituents of Shrub Hepatoprotective and antiobesity Tender Toothache, gum inflammation, gum bleeding, Jatropha curcas. Lloydia 1987; 41:161–165. 25. Mishra SB, Mukerjee A, VIjyaKumar M. Pharmacognostic and twig/stem pyorrhoea Plant sap Dermatomucosal diseases phytochemical evaluation of leaves extract of Jatropha curcas L. Plant extract Allergies, burns, cuts and wounds, inflammation, Pharmacognosy Journal 2010; 2(15):9-14. leprosy, leucoderma, scabies and small pox 26. Nath LK, Dutta SK. Wound healing response of the proteolytic Water extract HIV, tumor enzymes curcain. Indian J. Pharmacol. 1992; 24:114-115. of branches Plant extract Wound h ealing 27. Kong LY., Min ZD, Shi JX, Feng R. Chemical constituents from root of Jatropha curcas. Journal of integrative plant biology Table 2: Chemical composition of different parts of Jatropha curcas21-26 1996; 38(2):161-166. Various parts Chemical composition 28. Diwani G, Rafie SEi, Hawash S. Antioxidant activity of extracts Aerial parts Organic acids ( o and p-coumaric acid, p-OH-benzoic acid, obtained from residues of nodes leaves stem and root of protocatechuic acid, resorsilic acid), saponins and tannins29 Egyptian Jatropha curcas. African Journal of Pharmacy and Stembark Amyrin, sitosterol and taraxerol30 Pharmacology 2009; 3(11):521-530. Leaves Cyclic triterpenes stigmasterol, stigmast-5-en-3, 7 diol, 29. Balaji R, Suba V, Rekha N, Deecaraman M. Hepatoprotective stigmast-5-en-3,7 diol, cholest-5-en-3,7 diol, campesterol, activity of methanolic fraction of Jatropha curcas on aflatoxin sitosterol, 7-keto--sitosterol as well as the d-glucoside of b1 induced hepatic carcinoma. Int. J. Ph. Sci. 2009; 1(2):287- sitosterol. Flavonoids apigenin, vitexin, isovitexin. Leaves also contain the dimer of a triterpene alcohol (C63H117O9) 296. and two flavonoidal glycosides30,31,32 30. Shetty S, Udupa SL, Udupa AL, Vollala VR. Wound healing Latex Curcacycline A, a cyclic octapeptide Curcain (a activity of bark extract of Jatropha curcas L. in albino rats. protease)33 Saudi Med J 2006; 27(10):1473-1476. Seeds Curcin, a lectin Phorbolesters Esterases (JEA) and Lipase (JEB) 31. Balaji R, Rekha N, Deecaraman M, Manikandan L. Kernal and Phytates, saponins and a trypsine inhibitor34 Antimetastatic and antiproliferative activity of methanolic press cake fraction of Jatropha curcas against B16F10 melanoma induced Roots Sitosterol and its d-glucoside, marmesin, propacin, the lung metastasis in C57BL/6 mice. African Journal of Pharmacy curculathyranes A and B and the curcusones A–D. diterpenoids jatrophol and jatropholone A and B, the and Pharmacology 2009; 3(11):547-555. coumarin tomentin, the coumarino-lignan jatrophin as 32. Igbinosa OO, Igbinosa EO, Aiyegoro OA. Antimicrobial activity well as taraxerol35,36 and phytochemical screening of stem bark extracts from IRJP 2 (4) 2011 Page 61-66 Sachdeva Kamal et al. IRJP 2 (4) 2011 61-66

Figure 1: Jatropha curcas plant

Figure 2: Important parts of the Jatropha curcas: a- flowering branch; b- bark; c- leaf veinature; d- pistillate flower; e- staminate flower; f- cross cut of immature fruit; g- fruits; h- longitudinal cut of fruits

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