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ISSN: 2394-2371

Review Article

Bambusa arundinacea- An Overview

Dhruti Bhatt1*, Neeraj Kumar1, Nipun Dashora1, Ashok Dashora 1, Lalit S Chauhan2

1Geetanjali Institute of Pharmacy, Udaipur-313002 2Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur

ABSTRACT

Bamboo ( arundinacea) belonging to family Graminae () is commonly known for its food and nutritional values throughout the world. The medicinal properties of root, and other parts of the are also well known in traditional system of medicine. The tree parts are used for the development of various Ayurvedic and Pharmaceutical products. In the present review the medicinal value, pharmacological and pharmacognostical properties of its various parts have been discussed to provide collective information on its multipurpose values.

Key Words- Bamboo, Ayurvedic, Pharmacological, Pharmacognostical, Medicinal.

INTRODUCTION giant timber bamboo can grow to a hollow culm

or stem, with nodes or joints between segments of Bamboo is the member of Graminae (Poaceae) the stem, and oval . It is one of the world’s family. differ from other members of fastest-growing annd is a versatile the grass family by the presence of branches at renewable resource with applications ranging each node. A bamboo culm consists of an from construction materials to culinary internode (which is hollow for most bamboo) and ingredients [2]. a node, which is solid and provide structural integrity for the plant [1]. The length can vary and some plants are as short as 30 centimeters, while

*Corresponding Author: Dhruti Bhatt Geetanjali Institute of Pharmacy, Udaipuur-313002, Rajasthan, India E.Mail: [email protected] Article Received on: 21-01-2015 Revised on: 15-03-2015 Accepted/Published on: 31-03-2015 Figure 1: Bambusa arundinacea

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The bamboo’s lifespan is not very long only nutritious [9]. Adult culms are useful for the about 20 years, and it flowers once every 7 to 20 production of high quality charcoal along with the years, depending on the . Interestingly, all fibers which are ideal for paper and pulp the bamboo of a particular species will flower at production. Because of a high growth rate exactly the same time, regardless of their (typically matures within 5–7 years) plus a geographical location. Being a very versatile number of important fuel characteristics such as plant, it grows in a lot of different climates and low ash content, alkali index or heating value, can be found on all the continents except bamboo is a promising energy crop for future Antarctica [3]. Tensile strength of bamboo is [10]. Part used are leaves, exudate, stem, shoots, superior to mild steel, and a weight-to-strength bark and roots. It is commonly known as Wans, ratio better than graphite. A testament to its Vanskapur (Guj.), Bamboo, Bamboo manna durability is the fact that a stand of bamboo plants (Eng.), Bans- lochana, Banz (Hindi), Bans-kapur, near ground zero at Hiroshima in 1945 survived Baansh (Beng.), Vanshalochana (Sans.), Tabashir the atomic blast and sent up new shoots within (Arab), Bansa, Baambii (Marathi) [11]. days [4]. PLANT PROFILE Seeds and shoots of plant are often used as food.  Domain : Eukaryota The stems are highly versatile and can be used to  Kingdom : Plantae create bridges, cooking vessels, furniture, paper  Subkingdom : Viridaeplantae pulp, weapons, and other items. Particularly in  Phylum : Tracheophyta India and China, bamboo has also been used for  Subphylum : Euphyllophytina medicinal purposes. Covering nearly 9 million hectares of land, Indian bamboo accounts for 36  Infraphylum : Angiospermae % of the world’s bamboo [5, 6]. Some of the  Class : Spermatopsida species are: Acidosasa edulis, Bambusa bambos,  Subclass : Commelinidae Bambusa vulgaris, nigra (Black  Superorder : Juncanae Bamboo), Lophatheri gracilis, Coniogramme  Order : japonica, Phyllostachys pubescens, Rhapsis  Family : Gramineae excelsa and Phyllostachys bambusoides [7, 8].  Subfamily : Bambusoideae Leaves as well as young shoots are often used for  Tribe : Bambuseae preparing delicious soups and pickles. It is highly  Subtribe : Bambusinae

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 Genus : Bambusa AC T IVE CON S TITUENT S  Specific epithet: arundinacea Bamboo plant has unusually high level of acetylcholine which acts as a neurotransmitter. Main constituents are silica (90.56 %), potash

(01.10 %), peroxide of iron (00.90 %), alumina (00.40 %), moisture (04.87 %). Other constituents

are cholin, betain, hydrate of silicic acid nuclease, urease, proteolytic enzyme, cyanogenetic

glycoside, alkaloid, Vitamin C, flavonoids, Figure 2 Bambusa arundinacea hydrocyanic acids, glutelin protein and benzoic

REGIONAL AND OTHER NAMES [12]: acid [13].

 Gujarati : Wans, Vanskapur PHARMACEUTICAL USES  English :Bamboo, Bamboo manna Roots: Roots are used to stimulate blood  Hindi : Bans- lochana, Banz circulation, rheumatism, curative for rabies,  Bengali : Bans-kapur, Baansh venereal diseases, cancer, anxiety, fever, sleeping  Sanskrit : Vanshalochana problems, general restlessness, astringent,  Arab : Tabashir antipyretic and diuretic. [14]  Marathi : Bansa, Baambii Shoots: Used for hematuria., stomach disorders,  Filipino : Kawayan appetizer, treatment of respiratory diseases,  Chammoro : Piao cleaning wounds and maggot- infested sores,  Chinese : Zhu contain 0.3 % of hydrocyanic acid which is lethal  Japanese : Take to the mosquito larvae, stimulates menstruation  Korean : Dae and Daenumu cycle, induce labor in the last month of  Myanmar : Wa pregnancy, bleeding piles, gonorrhea, keeping  Vietnamese : Tre blood pressure to normal levels, anti-cancer, anti-  Indonesian : Bambu bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-

inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and kills intestinal worms [15].

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Leaves: antipyretic, diuretic, head and chest underground woody jointed rhizomes. Culms are colds, pharyngitis, stomatitis, arthritis, round & smooth. Diameter – few mm to > 30cm. haemoptysis, febrifuge, antileprotic [16], The number of fiber bundles & the manner of counteracting spasmodic disorders and secretion their scattering add much to the hardness of the of bleeding, treat diarrhea, cooling tonic, culm. The thickness of the outer shell & the treatment of cough and asthma [17]. deposit of silica in outer cortical layer also make it very hard. Ordinarily culms don’t bear any Bark: Styptic to stop bleeding, skin eruptions, branches to a considerable height. Rhizomes is anti-emetic. [18] the pachymorph type, woody in nature, arched Stem: Used as splints in fracture, stimulate slightly, upturned sharply at the tip in manner of a menstruation, sedative, expectorant, antitussive walking stick handle, becoming thick & broad at used for bronchial, cerebral infections, used for the end bearing the culms & narrow at the vomiting and nose bleedings19. proximate end called neck where it attached to the older rhizomes. [20] Exudate: Anti-inflammatory, tonic for lungs, cross-linking agent, providing strength, flexibility PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES and resilience to collagen and elastin connective tissues [19]. Anti-diabetic activity: Aqueous ethanolic extract of Bambusa arundinacea seed were tested for DISTRIBUTION anti-diabetic activity using alloxan induced A common bamboo found distributed throughout diabetic rats and compared with standard. The the moist parts of India, upto an altitude of 1250 result expressed that aqueous ethanolic extracts m particularly near river banks in Central and had shown significant protection and maximum South India ascending upto 1100 m on the Nilgiri reduction in blood glucose was observed in also cultivated in many places in North-West alloxan induced diabetic rats. [20] India and Bengal. It also occurs in Sri Lanka, Anti-fertility Activity: 1 kg tender shoots of Malaya, Peru and Myanmar [20]. Bambusa arundinacea are fed immediately after parturition and the placenta will drop within two MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS hours. The fertility index decreased to 15% for Bamboos characterized by woody, pointed stems, control rats and to 23% after females being commonly called culms arising from the successfully inseminated was reduced especially

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Available Online at www.ijptb.com Bhatt D. et al. IJPTB. 2015; 2(1):01-10 after 4 days of treatment. The number of Anti ulcer activity: Anti-Ulcer activity of the spermatozoa in the caput and cauda epididymis methanol extract of the leaves of Bambusa was decreased concomitant with a decrease in the arundinacea against carrageenin-induced paw motility of spermatozoa collected from the cauda oedema and also its antiulcer activity in albino epididymides. The weights of testes, rats have been studied and found to be significant epididymides, vas deferens and prostate were also when compared to the standard drugs. The significantly decreased. [20] combination of methanol extract of Bambusa Antimicrobial Activity: Water-phase extract of arundinacea with NSAIDs will produce the best bamboo shavings by supercritical carbon dioxide anti ulcer conditions like rheumatoid arthritis extraction, was evaluated for its antimicrobial with peptic ulcer. [21] action against the range of food borne and food Protective Effects: The Protective effects against spoilage pathogens using agar disc diffusion N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) - induced cell assay in nutrient agar and Czapek Dox Agar death in primary cultured cortical neuron media. These exhibited antimicrobial activity Treatment of neuronal cells with pyrolyzates of against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Phyllostachys pubescens, Phyllostachys nigra E. coli, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium citrinum and Phyllostachys bambusoides resulted in and saccharomyces cerevisiae with a restored cell viability when compared to concentration-dependent relationship. The untreated cells in an NMDA-induced neuronal minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) cell death assay. In addition, cortical neurons against the tested bacterial strains were found in treated with Phyllostachys pubescens and the range of 4.9 – 32 mg/ml using the two- fold Phyllostachys nigra showed a reduction of dilution method. [20] apoptosis following exposure to NMDA, as Anti inflammatory: The extracts of leaves of determined by Hoechst 33342 staining. [21] Bambusa arundinacea have been used in Indian Anthelmintic activity: Indian adult earth worm medicine to treat various inflammatory (Pheretima posthuma) were collected. Ethanolic conditions. The combination of methanol extract extract of Bambusa arundinacea was qualitatively and phenylbutazone (NSAIDs) has been studied tested for the presence of flavonoids, tannins and and found to be the most potent anti phenolic compounds. The Anthelmintic activity inflammatory activity experimentally with least was evaluated on adult Indian earthworm toxic (no ulcerogenic) activity. [21] Pheretima posthuma due to its anatomical and physiological resemblance with the intestinal International Journal of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology 5

Available Online at www.ijptb.com Bhatt D. et al. IJPTB. 2015; 2(1):01-10 roundworm parasites of human. Paralysis was of sowing. The seedlings were observed to note said to occur when the worms do not revive even the vigour and growth. Interestingly, there were in normal saline. Death was concluded when the few chlorophyll deficient seedlings in the batch worms lose their motility followed with fading and the constituted 0.57 per cent of total. away of their body colour. [22] Albinism was recorded in Bambusa arundinacea seedlings. This suggests the loss of genetic PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDIES heterozygosis of a species within the population.[24] Radio-Sensitivity to Gamma rays: The radio- Studies carried out on Roots: sensitivity of Bambusa arundinacea was assessed Pharmacognostical evaluations like microscopical by exposing the seeds to gamma rays with 10 to studies are carried out by taking free hand 150 kR doses at 10 kR intervals. Two treatments sections. The sections were stained with safranin were accommodated in each tray and in each and fast green. Powdered materials of root part treatment 1 000 seeds sampled at random from were cleared with NaOH and mounted in glycerin among the irradiated seeds were sown in furrows medium after staining different cell component spaced 5 cm apart. Distilled water was sprayed on were studied and measured.[25] alternate days. Observations on seed germination and seedling mortality were recorded on the 8th, Macroscopic Character: Macroscopical 11th, 13th, 17th, 21st, and 28th days after sowing. characters reveal that root is 0.1 to 0.2 mm in Seedling survival, shoot and root lengths, number diameter, cylindrical in shape; surface is smooth, of leaves and internodes were recorded on the Yellowish brown in colour. Root is odorless and 28th day. Types and frequency of different mucilaginous in taste.[25] chlorophyll mutations were also scored. LD-50 MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS was estimated using linear regression analysis. [23] Transverse section of tap root - Epidermis-The TS of the root shows a single layer of epidermal Chlorophyll Deficient Seedlings: The seeds of cell. Cortex- Epidermis is followed by cortex. It Bambusa arundinacea were collected after consists of Phellogen, Phelloderm and monsoon and sown after the onset of winter by endodermis. Cork cambium-Cambium contains mechanically scarifying the seed coat. Seeds three to five layers of rectangular initiated germination after 19 days from the date parenchymatous cells. Endodermis- Endodermis International Journal of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology 6

Available Online at www.ijptb.com Bhatt D. et al. IJPTB. 2015; 2(1):01-10 is single layered, radial walls, slightly thickened, Vessel-Pitted & annular xylem vessels are free from starch. Vascular bundle- It consists of found.[25] radial vascular bundles. The xylem and phloem are observed in patches.[25] TLC SCREENING FOR ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF DIFFERENT SPECIES B. multiplex, B. textilis, B. ventricosa, B. pervariabilis, B. fargesii, Chimonocalamus delicates, Dandrocalamus oldhamicInterest in the antioxidant activity of bamboo leaves is growing. The results showed that the methanolic extract of

possessed the highest antioxidant activity among Figure 3: Transverse Section of the Root the selected bamboo species. To rapidly identify

Transverse section of lateral root - Epidermis- the antioxidant compounds, the crude extract of The transverse section of the lateral root shows was analyzed by HPLC-UV, and HPLC-micro- single layer epidermis, consists of polygonal fractionation of the extract was carried out and elongated parenchymatous cell. three antioxidant fractions were isolated. These Cortex- Epidermis is followed by Phellogen. It three antioxidant compounds were identified - (1) consists of single layer, thick walled, lignified isoorientin 2''-O-α-L-rhamnoside (2) and cells. Vascular bundle- It consists of radial isoorientin.[26] vascular bundle. Xylem is exarch.[25] Isolation and characterization of Powder Microscopy of root - Fiber- The fibers microsatellites: Six microsatellites, three are found in groups, lignified, thick walled with a polymorphic and three monomorphic have been narrow lumen. Cork cell- The fragments of cork characterized for the first time in a bamboo composed of thin walled rectangular with species, Bambusa arundinacea. Cross species yellowish brown matter is found. Crystal-The amplification was tested in 18 other bamboo prism of calcium oxalate are found scatter. Starch species. Monomorphic simple sequence repeats grains-Starch granules are found scattered. They (SSRs) were found to be cross amplified in most are simple and spherical and usually smaller. of the species tested and polymorphic ones in only three to four species. This study will help in population genetic studies in bamboo species.[27] International Journal of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnoloogy 7

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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION There are various Ayurvedic marketed preparations in which Bambusa arundinacea such In this review “Bambusa arundinacea- An as – Vamsa Rochna, Sitopaladi churna, Talisadi Overview” we have included all the review of churna, Bamboo manna etc. which are used in literature along with their small highlight of maintaining physique, Maintaining Homeostasis experimental work done on the plant. Prior to the and increasing resistance power. review of literature we have mentioned the introduction, plant profile and active constituents REFERENCES: present in the various different parts of that 1. Shukla R, Sumit G, Sajal S, Dwivedi PK, particular plant. Bamboo consists of fresh leaves Mishra A. Medicinal Importance Of & dried fruits. Bamboos are members of the Bamboo. International Journal of Graminae (Poaceae) family, as are corn, sugar Biopharm & Phytochemical Research. cane other grasses. Bamboos differ from other 2012; 1(1): 9-15. members of the grass family by the presence of 2. http://agris.fao.org/agris branches at each node. One of the world’s fastest- search/search/display.do?f=1992%2FMY growing plants, bamboo is a versatile renewable %2FMY92002.xml%3BMY9205243 resource with applications ranging from 3. Mohmod AL, Tarmeze W, Ariffen W, construction materials to culinary Ahmad F. Anatomical features and ingredients.There are various tests performed on mechanical properties of three Malaysian the plant Bambusa arundinacea such as bamboos. Journ. Trop. For. Sc. 2. 1990: Pharmacological studies – Anti-diabetic activity, 227-234. Anti fertility activity, Anti inflammatory activity, 4. Ramyarangsi SI, Rao A N, Dhanarajan G Anti ulcer activity. & Sastry CB. Bamboo research in  Pharmacognostic studies – Bamboo dry Thailand. Recent Research on Bamboo. extract, TLC showing Antioxidant activity, CAF China and IDRC. 1985: 7-69. Lateral and Transverse section of root. 5. Kirtikar KR, Basu BD. Indian Medicinal  Miscellaneous Studies – Studies of volatile Plants. International Book Distributers, chemicals present in leaf, Isolation and Dehradun.1990; 4: 2724– 2727. characterization of microsatellites present in 6. Khare CP. Indian Medicinal Plants. An Bambusa arundinacea. Illustrated Dictionary. Springer publication. New Delhi, India. 2007: 90. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology 8

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