An Overview on Phytopharmacology of Pelargonium Graveolens L
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Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 14(4), October 2015, pp. 558-563 An overview on phytopharmacology of Pelargonium graveolens L. Jinous Asgarpanah1,2* & Fereshteh Ramezanloo2 1Young Researchers and Elite Club, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 2Department of Pharmacognosy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU), Tehran, Iran E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Received 30 October 2014, revised 12 August 2015 Since ancient, Pelargonium graveolens L. is well organized for its therapeutic values. Only recently, its new medicinal aspects have been award by scientists. Regarding new multi-functional properties of P. graveolens and valuable ongoing reports we were prompted to update phytochemistry and pharmacology of it. Data were collected using of journals, articles, scientific books and websites such as Scopus and PubMed. P. graveolens extracts and essential oil are important in drug development with many pharmacologic properties in China and Middle East especially in Egypt and Morocco. P. graveolens has been used in traditional medicine for the relief of hemorrhoids, dysentery, inflammation and cancer, as well as in the perfumery, cosmetic and aromatherapy industries all over the world. P. graveolens has recently been shown to have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal activities and acaricidal effects. The valuable therapeutic aspects of P. graveolens are mostly correlated to the existence of volatile constituents, terpenoids and flavonoids. Due to being widespread and the easy collection of this plant and also remarkable biological activities and containing a high amount of essential oil, this plant has become a medicinal plant in pharmacy especially in aromatherapy. This overview presents comprehensive analyzed information on the phytochemical and clinical properties of P. graveolens. Keywords: Geraniaceae, Pelargonium graveolens L., Phytopharmacology IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K, A61K 36/00, A61J 3/00 Affordability and accessibility of the medicinal plants to Europe in the 17th century and have since been have made them as an important part of many hybridized all over the world5. Nowadays the major people’s life all over the world. The medicinal plants production of geranium takes place in China and selection is a conscious process, which has led to an Middle East especially in Egypt and Morocco6. enormous number of medicinal plants being Pelargonium genus has 750 species scattered widely consumed by many cultures in the world1. According around the world growing as annuals7. P. graveolens to the World Health Organization (WHO), due to the has been known as “Shamdani Atri” in Iran. lack of access to modern medicines and poverty, P. graveolens is a shrubby perennial plant growing to about 65-80% of the people in developing countries a height of 1 m if left unpruned. In the tropical areas it depend on plants for their primary healthcare2. is grown as an annual. The leaves are lobed and Regarding the lack of safe modern drugs, evaluation contain essential oil. The plant has typical small, pink of active and effective plants for diseases such as flowers. Leaves and stalks are the essential parts of diabetes has been recommended by WHO. It is this plant. The essential oil is extracted from fresh estimated that close to 25% of the biological active plant material mainly using steam distillation. components in currently synthetic drugs were first P. graveolens essential oil is largely utilized in the identified in natural sources especially in plant3. perfumery, cosmetic and aromatherapy industries Commonly known as Geranium, Pelargonium all over the world. It has since become indispensable graveolens, is an aromatic, perennial and flowering aromatherapy oil8. Geranium oil responds well to plant which belongs to Geraniaceae family in the the balancing effects of constipation, insomnia, order of Geraniales that contains about 230 genera restlessness, nervousness, anxiety, worry, high blood and more than 2500 species4. Pelargonium species pressure, anger, frustration, emotional upsets, probably originates from South Africa and introduced hypercholesterolemia, slow to lose weight and low ——————— 9 *Corresponding author metabolic forces . The oil has potential immune ASGARPANAH & RAMEZANLOO: PHYTOPHARMACOLGY OF PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS L. 559 modulating effects on natural killer cells10. Geranium Chemical composition oil improves circulation, treats congestion especially Many chemical constituents such as volatile for the breast tissue, promotes healthy immune substances, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolics, system, stimulates and cleans the lymphatic system coumarins, cinnamic acids and tannins have been and is helpful for detoxification, overcoming isolated from the plant15,16. Citronellol (29.90%), addiction, hemorrhoids, phlebitis, indigestion and trans-geraniol (18.03%), 10-epi-γ- eudesmol (8.27%), fluid retention11. Other geranium essential oil usages isomenthone (5.44%), linalool (5.13%), geranyl which are becoming more and more popular include acetate (4.52%), γ- Cadinene (2.89%), geranyl relieving dysentery, inflammation, hemorrhoids, butyrate (2.53%), geranyltiglate (2.50%) and heavy menstrual flows and cancer. The oil is gemacrene D (2.05%) were identified as the major clinically used for treating diabetes, diarrhea, constituents of the P. graveolens aerial parts essential jaundice, gallbladder problems, liver problems, oil17. Phytochemical investigations in 1996 resulted in gastric ulcers and urinary stones. The leaves are used characterization of the indole alkaloids, as a form of herbal tea to de-stress, fight anxiety, ease elaeocarpidine, and its 20-H isomer epielaeocarpidine tension, improve circulation and cure tonsillitis12. in the leaves of geranium18. Traditionally, roots have been used medicinally for a multitude of ailments; both the rhizome and herb Potential of P. graveolens in phytotherapies have been used for different purposes since ancient Various studies have revealed the different times to treat malaria, abdominal and uterine pharmacological properties of P. graveolens in a disorders. They were also used in decoction to wash range of in vitro and in vivo test models. The aerial patients suffering from fever13 and also directly parts of the plant, in particular, have been chewed or powdered and mixed with food. demonstrated to possess antibacterial, antifungal, For a long time, P. graveolens root decoction and acaricidal and antioxidant activities at different infusion of the roots is employed for its palliative and doses/concentrations. These have been described in curative effects in treating the gastrointestinal greater detail in the following subsections. disorders and respiratory tract infections while the Antibacterial and antifungal activities aerial parts are used to heal the wounds14. The fairly P. graveolens has been found to possess good high concentrations of oligomeric proanthocyanidins antibacterial activity against S. aureus, Proteus (9%) occurring in this indigenous medicine may, at 18 vulgaris, B. cereus and Staphylococcus epidermidis . least in part, explain the traditional use of it for the P. graveolens oil is being used as potent oil o treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as n the pathogenic vaginal bacteria such as Atopobium diarrhea and the application of the aerial parts as vaginae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Bacteroides wound healing. Since systemic analysis and review of vulgates, Streptococcus agalactiae, H2O2-producing biological activities and potentials of P. graveolens lactobacilli, non H2O2 producing lactobacilli, have not been reported, we interested to prepare the C. albicans, C. glabrata, Candida parapsilosis and currently accessible information on ethno biological Candida tropicalis18,19,20,21 and has been used to and local knowledge issues, ethnomedicinal aspects, extend the shelf life of foods, beverages, pharmacologically important compounds identification pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. The essential and pharmacologic studies on this useful plant. This oil from the fresh aerial parts of the plant exhibited overview introduces P. graveolens as a potent plant antimicrobial activity against B. subtilis, S. aureus, by highlighting the new findings for novel multi- Enterococcus fecalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, functional and clinical applications as well as its C. neoformans, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and traditional indications. Mycobacterium intracellulare. Geranium oil has shown inhibition properties on S. aureus and Materials and methods C. albicans22. Presence of α-pinene (37.4%), β-pinene The data presented in this paper were collected (16%) and limonene (13.3%) in high concentrations using all scientific data come from encyclopedia, are believed to actively inhibit the growth of articles, books, journals and websites such as microorganisms23,24. The profound antimicrobial Pubmed, Scopus and Google Scholar. activity of P. graveolens may partly explain their 560 INDIAN J TRADIT KNOWLE, VOL. 14, NO 4, OCTOBER 2015 wound-healing properties13,25. The extract broad D. pteronyssinus, respectively. Additionally, spectrum antimicrobial activity may be caused by β-citronellol was approximately36 and 33 times more the coumarins and phenolic acids26 and may be toxic to D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus than benzyl potential sources of effective agents for wound benzoate. Geraniol, β-citronellol, and their derivatives infections11,3,27,28,29. are most promising for possible use against D. farinae