Ethno-Medicinal Plants and Their Pharmaceutical Potential Ravi Kant Upadhyay*, Shoeb Ahmad Department of Zoology, D D U Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, 273009
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Ravi Kant Upadhyay et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2012,5(4),2162-2173 Review Article Available online through ISSN: 0974-6943 www.jpronline.info Ethno-medicinal plants and their Pharmaceutical Potential Ravi Kant Upadhyay*, Shoeb Ahmad Department of Zoology, D D U Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, 273009. India Received on:11-01-2012; Revised on: 17-02-2012; Accepted on:19-04-2012 ABSTRACT From the ancient time human civilization has been used plant products as curing agent for various diseses. Though, they were not exactly known about the components of the particular plant to be used in a specific diseses. As the human civilization developed screening of active compounds from plants lead to discover new medicinal drugs which have efficient protection and treatment roles against both communicable and noncommunicable diseases. Presently, synthetic drugs are available against almost all diseases, but they express adverse effect on the body physiology of the patients. To come out these side effects researsches are going on to isolate different plant compounds in pure form and efforts are continued to develop new drug formulations to combat the pathogenic diseases and drug resistance evoked in pathogens. Promisingly, many of plant compounds have sucessfully isolated and tested against disease pathogens, but still these are seen to be less effective against certain viral diseases. Plants and compound isolated from plants such as alkaloids, tannins, terpenes, flavonoids, sterols and coumarins has displayed a brilliant role in serving the man as a life sever and reliever by performing anti-diabetic, anticancer, antimicrobial anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activites. Few of them are used as drug templates and are of immense commercial value. A present article presents the pharmcognosy dumentation of many plants species which are well known as ethnomedicinal use by the ribal and local population in various parts of our country. Key words: Ethno-medicinal plants, antidiabetic activity anticancer activity, anthelmintic activity anti-allergic activity INTRODUCTION Plants possess vast wider diversity of species on earth in different geo- erties based on chemical and molecular properties were explored (Kunwar, graphical regions that show eco-climatic adaptations and mainly represented 2010). However, phytochemicals or secondary metabolites with relevant in form of chemical, genetic and molecular diversity. With the advent of biological activities were identified for possible potential drug formulations human being on this earth, plants not only were used as food but also used as (Upadhyay, 2010). medicine by human groups who were residing in different eco-climatic re- gions. History reveals ancient that man has faced lot of disease outbreaks and For producing effective drugs, plant origin chemical compounds were used as epidemics. Those who survived were either developed resistance against the chemical templates (Upadhyay et al., 2008; Schmeda-Hirschmann and disease or used plants as a source of medicine. In present time man is sur- Yesilada, 2005). Meanwhile, thousands of plant species were used in folk rounded by many communicable and non communicable diseases. Most of medicine and their commercial manufacturing of therapeutic products such as them are still un-curable and require immediate attention to target the disease ashaw, bati, goli, bhasma, churan, ointment, and prash to cure the patients. pathogens. To fight against the disease pathogens synthetic drugs were used However, for screening pharmaceutical and therapeutic potential of these for controlling or curing diseases but most of them have been found to have ayurvedic medicines various bioassays were developed to detect and confirm several side effects on human physiology. Still there exists a severe problem the antipathogenic effects in animal model (Hostettmann, 1991) and eshtablih of drug resistance in pathogens. For a healthy and disease free human popu- a good correlation with disease pathogens (McLaughlin et al., 1998; Zani et lation plant origin ethino-medicines may be more successful to cure the al., 1995). For achieving this drug targeting and therapeutic simulations are patients and become a true alternative of synthetic drugs. Many of these highly essential. herbal medicines are mentioned in present day texts and have immense phar- macological importance (Table 1). These are evidence in great epics and Plants as a source of medicines religious text that ancient human civilization was well known of plant based Plants contain many biologically active compounds i. e. alkaloids, flavonoids, ethinic medicines. Such evidences strongly proved that the old civilization triterpenoids, phenols, carotenoids, steroids and ketones. Neem contains and rural communities had been used natural resources for therapeutic pur- seven isomeric compounds labeled as azadirachtin A-G, (Verkerk et al., 1993), poses. These communities practiced subsistence agriculture, cattle ranching, salannin, volatile oils, meliantriol and nimbin (Jacobson,1990; National Re- and harvest different types of forest products and developed agroforest search Council, 1992). Neem leaves were used to cure eczema, ringworm, systems (Albuquerque et al., 2007). It has been identified that ethnomedicinal acne and show anti-inflammatory, antiheperglycemic activities. It is used to plants possess therapeutic ingredients which possess enough potential to heal chronic wounds, diabetes and gangrene. It helps to remove toxins from fight against disease pathogens (Upadhyay et al., 2010a; b). Hence, thou- the body, neutralize free radicals and purify the blood. It is also used in sands of phytochemicals were isolated from them and pharmaceutical prop- treatment of malaria filarial and leismaniasis. It also possesses anti-cancer and hepato-renal protective activity and show hypolipidemic effects (Ahana, *Corresponding author. 2005). The intake of juice of green neem leaves with milk increases appetite Ravi Kant Upadhyay and relieves from headaches and cure eye infections. Boiled neem leaves in Department of Zoology, water show an excellent antiseptic activity and used to clean wounds, soothes, D D U Gorakhpur University, swellings and eases skin problems. Similarly, Helianthus annuus, (Compos- Gorakhpur-273009 ite), contains an oleic acid and tri acyl glycerol, alkaloids, cyanogenic glyco- Uttar Pradesh sides, saponins, cardiac glycosides, tannins and phenols. It also contains India polysaccharides complex and rarely tocopherol or vitamin E- anti oxidant Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.5 Issue 4.April 2012 2162-2173 Ravi Kant Upadhyay et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2012,5(4),2162-2173 (Dorrell, 1981) and (Elshami and Zen El-din, 1991). The seeds of H. annuus active components that act against arthritic pain (Ivorra et al., 1989). are used as diuretic, expectorant to cough remove from throat and lung. It is Phyllanthus emblica fruit extract possesses antidiarrheal and spasmolytic also used as antiseptic, aphrodisiac, emollient and as anti-malarial. It is a well activities, mediated possibly through dual blockade of muscarinic receptors tested folk remedy for blindness, bronchitis, carbuncles, catarrh, colic, diar- and Ca(+2) channels, thus explaining its medicinal use in diarrhea. Besides this rhea, dysentery, dysuria, eyes, fever, inflammation, laryngitis, menorrhagia, the same plant i.e Phyllanthus emblica have also strong potential to check pleuritis, rheumatism, scorpion stings, snakebite, splenitis, urogenital ail- cancer and tumor growth (Ngamkitidechakul et al., 2010). ments, whitlow and wounds (Hartwel., 1971). Similarly, Allium cepa L. (Liliaceae) contains numerous organic sulfur compounds, including trans-S- Multiple pharmaceutical potential of plants (1- propenyl) cysteine sulfoxide, S–methyl–cysteine sulfoxide, S– propylcysteine sulfoxide and cycloalliin; flavonoids; phenolic acids; sterols ANTI-DIABETIC ACTIVITY including cholesterol, stigma sterol, b-sitosterol; saponins; sugars and a trace Natural plant products also act as hypoglycaemic agents. Few plant species of volatile oil composed mainly of sulfur compounds, including dipropyl i. e. Opuntia streptacantha Lem, Trigonella foenum graecum L, Momordica disulfide (Kapoor, 1990; Leung and Foster, 1996). A fresh onion bulb con- charantia L, Ficus bengalensis L, Polygala senega L., Gymnema sylvestre tains fructans with a low degree of polymerization, and sulfur-containing R., Allium sativum, Citrullus colocynthis, Aloe Verra Occimum sanctum and compounds (Bruneton, 1995). Onion was used for decrease cancer tumor Artemisia absinthum possess antidiabetic activity (Table 1) (Ivorra et al., initiated, promote healing of stomachulcers, inhibit the proliferation of cul- 1989; Atta-Ur-Rahman and Zaman, 1989; Bnouham et al., 2002; Ziyyat et tured ovarian, breast and colon cancer cells; reduce the cholesterol, blood al., 1997; Al-Rowais, 2002, Khanna et al., 2010). These plants possess pressure and symptoms associated with diabetes mellitus, inhibit platelets bioactive components and are used as folk medicine (Bailey and Day,1989; aggregation (involved in thrombosis) and prevent inflammatory processes Day, 1998; Lin, 1992; Mahabir and Gulliford, 1997). But, a large number of associated with asthma (Dorsch and Wanger, 1991; Augusit, 1996). Onion medicinal plants possess some degree of toxicity to human when used for the was used as antiseptic, antiheleminthic, antispasmodic, carminative, and diabetes (Marles and Farnsworth, 1994.) However,