Elephantopus Scaber Linn.: a Review on Its Ethnomedical, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile
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journal of applied biomedicine 12 (2014) 49–61 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jab Review Article Elephantopus scaber Linn.: A review on its ethnomedical, phytochemical and pharmacological profile Sachin M. Hiradeve *, Vinod D. Rangari School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Koni, Bilaspur 495009, Chhattisgarh, India article info abstract Article history: Elephantopus scaber Linn., family Asteraceae, is a small herb found in Neotropics, Europe, Received 21 October 2013 Asia, Africa and Australia. The plant parts of this herb have been used traditionally for the Received in revised form treatment of a number of diseases in many countries. Sesquiterpene lactones, triterpenoids, 21 December 2013 steroids, flavonoids and essential oil constituents have been reported from various parts of Accepted 24 January 2014 the plant. The plant has been extensively screened for anticancer activity. Sesquiterpene Available online 5 February 2014 lactones such as deoxyelephantopin, isodeoxyelephantopin, scabertopin, and isoscaberto- pin have been found to be prominent anticancer constituents. Many other biological fl Keywords: activities such as antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-in amma- Elephantopus scaber tory, analgesic, antiasthamatic, antiplatelet, and wound healing have been reported in Traditional medicine various research papers. The present review has been envisaged with an intension to fi Sesquiterpene lactones provide scienti c information about the ethnomedical, phytochemical and pharmacological fi Deoxyelephantopin pro le of E. scaber. # Antitumor 2014 Faculty of Health and Social Studies, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved. 30–60 cm high. Stems are forked and stiff, while leaves are Introduction mostly in basal rosette and oblong-ovate to oblong-lance like, 10–25 cm in length and often very much notched on the The genus Elephantopus was established in Asteraceae family margins. Purple flowers are 8–10 mm long and each flower by Linnaeus in 1753. It is a genus of about 32 species centered head comprises about 4 flowers. Flowering heads are borne in in the Neotropics (extending from southern Mexico through clusters at the end of the branches and are usually enclosed by Central America and Northern South America to Southern 3 leaf-like bracts which are ovate to oblong-ovate, 1–1.5 cm Brazil), Europe, Asia (India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, long, and heart-shaped at the base. The flowering heads are Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, many, crowded in each cluster, while the fruits are achenes, Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar), Australia and Africa ribbed and pappus, from 4 to 6 mm long with rigid ristles (Kurokawa and Nakanishi, 1970; Kiritikar and Basu, 1991; (Kiritikar and Basu, 1991). Taylor et al., 1995; Hui and But, 1998; Singh et al., 2005; Than Among the 32 species, only one species, namely, E. scaber,is et al., 2005; Wright et al., 2007). The lectotype species of known to grow in India (Geetha et al., 2012). The plant has been Elephantopus genus, i.e., Elephantopus scaber Linn. family abundantly found throughout India, for example Western Asteraceae, is a common wild weed that forms undergrowth Ghats, and widely distributed in the forest of Achanakmar, in shady places. It is a rather coarse, rigid, erect, hairy herb, Chhattisgarh State. It is popularly known as Prickly leaved * Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 8871801377; fax: +91 7752260148. E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected] (S.M. Hiradeve). 1214-021X/$ – see front matter # 2014 Faculty of Health and Social Studies, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jab.2014.01.008 50 journal of applied biomedicine 12 (2014) 49–61 elephant foot or elephant's foot (English). In India it is known 1998). In Nigeria, hot water extract of leaves is used to cure by a variety of local names such as Gojivha or Hastipadi arthritis (Hammer and Johns, 1993; Hui and But, 1998). In (Sanskrit) and Gobhi (Hindi) (Kiritikar and Basu, 1991). In China Mauritius two pieces of roots and six leaves in 1 l of water the plant is called as Didancao (Hui and But, 1998). provide treatment for diarrhea and urinary problems and root In folk medicinal practices, various parts of the plant and paste, for pimples (Gurib-Fakim et al., 1993). even the whole plant of E. scaber have been used in many countries for the treatment of a number of diseases. Detailed ethnomedical review of E. scaber is as follows. Phytochemical review Several studies on various plant species of genus Elephantopus Ethnomedical history report the presence of sesquiterpene lactones (Kupchan et al., 1969; Kurokawa and Nakanishi, 1970; Desilva et al., 1982; E. scaber has been widely used in traditional medicine for Zhang et al., 1986; Hayashi et al., 1987; Jakupovic et al., 1987; various diseases in many countries of the world. Decoction of But et al., 1997; Than et al., 2005; Ichikawa et al., 2006; Tabopda whole plant or roots of E. scaber is most commonly used in et al., 2008; Liang et al., 2008; Su et al., 2009, 2011; Huang et al., countries such as India, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, 2010; Chang et al., 2011; Ho et al., 2011; Geetha et al., 2012; Lee Philippines, Thailand, Madagascar, Nepal and Brazil as an and Shyur, 2012; Mei et al., 2012). Sesquiterpene lactones are a anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, diuretic, anticough agent, class of naturally occurring plant terpenoids that represent a antibiotics, emollient and tonic (Kiritikar and Basu, 1991; Poli diverse and unique category of natural products and charac- et al., 1992; Rasoanaivo et al., 1992; Hammer and Johns, 1993; teristic constituents of family Asteraceae (Chaturvedi, 2011). Hui and But, 1998; Chuakul et al., 2006; Inta et al., 2008; Udayan Being a rich source of sesquiterpene lactones, there have been et al., 2008). renewed interests of researchers all over the world in the In India it is used in cases of cardiovascular diseases, phytochemistry of E. scaber. bronchitis and smallpox (Kiritikar and Basu, 1991). Root Apart from sesquiterpene lactones, other phytochemical powder mixed with boiling water is given internally to cure constituents of E. scaber include triterpenoids, steroids and burning sensation and gonorrhea (Sahu, 1984; Ayyanar and their glycosides. It also contains flavonoids, phenolic com- Ignacimuthu, 2005). Roots are used in heart and liver trouble, pounds, long chain hydrocarbons and essential oils (Table 1). and hot water extract of root is given in filariasis and diarrhea Detailed phytochemical review of E. scaber is as follows. (Hammer and Johns, 1993). The fresh root of the plant is employed for treating spermatorrhea, leucorrhoea, ametror- Sesquiterpene lactones rhagia, menstrual complaints, menorrhagia and dysmenor- rhea (Behera and Misra, 2005). The paste of roots is tied Sesquiterpene lactones present in E. scaber includes deoxye- around the ear to cure headache (Rajakumar and Shivanna, lephantopin, isodeoxyelephantopin, scabertopin, isoscaberto- 2010) and the paste of leaves has been used to treat pin, elescaberin, 17,19-dihydrodeoxyelephantopin, iso-17,19- menorrhagia (Pattanaik et al., 2008). The plant paste is dihydrodeoxyelephantopin, 11,13-dihydrodeoxy-elephanto- applied externally in rheumatism and on patients suffering pin and scabertopinol. The structure of these sesquiterpene from tetanus (Sahu, 1984). The entire plant or its decoction is lactones is given in Fig. 1. used in India and Malaysia for quick delivery and expulsion of Deoxyelephantopin (C19H20O6)isoneofthemainsesqui- placenta, and external application of emulsion of dried bark terpene lactone isolated from the aqueous, ethanol, chloro- is used for wound healing (Hammer and Johns, 1993; Hui and form, acetone extract of whole plant and ethanolic extract of But, 1998; Kumar et al., 2007). In Ayurveda, herbal combina- root of E. scaber. The aqueous extract has been partitioned tions containing E. scaber along with other herbs were used with ethyl acetate and then deoxyelephantopin isolated from for treatment of major and minor neoplasms (Balachandran the ethyl acetate extract by silica gel column containing and Govindarajan, 2005). Besides E. scaber roots are used CHCl3/EtOAc gradient elution (Huang et al., 2010). From externally as anti-venom, as antiseptic for cuts and wounds chloroform extract, deoxyelephantopin has been isolated and on lesions for chicken pox and widely used for the by silica gel column using hexane/EtOAc gradient elution. treatment of dysentery, diarrhea, stomach troubles and Deoxyelephantopin (mp 198–200 8C) has been crystallized hemoptysis in tuberculosis (Bhattarai, 1989; Hammer and from petroleum ether–EtOAc mixture as colorless needles. Johns, 1993; Taylor et al., 1995). Its root juice has been The structure of deoxyelephantopin has been elucidated by consumed to relieve heart and liver troubles, leaf juice is used using spectral data such as IR, 1HNMR,13CNMRandMS for healing wounds, while its fresh roots are chewed to treat (Kurokawa and Nakanishi, 1970; But et al., 1997; Than et al., cough, cold and headache (Bhattarai, 1989; Bhandary et al., 2005; Xu et al., 2006; Liang et al., 2008; Su et al., 2009; Geetha 1995; Taylor et al., 1995). et al., 2012). Apart from these common uses, it is