P. Venkatalakshmi et al / Int. J. Res. Ayurveda Pharm. 7(Suppl 2), Mar - Apr 2016 Review Article www.ijrap.net PHYTOPHARMACOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF TERMINALIA CATAPPA L.: AN UPDATED REVIEW P. Venkatalakshmi 1, V. Vadivel 2*, P. Brindha 2 1Department of Biochemistry, S.T.E.T. Women’s College, Sundarakkottai, Mannargudi, Tamilnadu, India 2Centre for Advanced Research in Indian System of Medicine, SASTRA University, Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, India Received on: 07/01/16 Revised on: 17/02/16 Accepted on: 29/02/16 *Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected] DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.07272 ABSTRACT Terminalia catappa L., a large spreading tree belonging to the family Combretaceae, is distributed throughout the tropics in coastal environments. Different parts of this tree have been used in folklore medicine and research studies also exhibited various medicinal properties such as antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumour, anti-HIV, hepato-protective and anti-diabetic of this plant. This review work focused on phytopharmacological significance of T. catappa L. besides its traditional medicinal uses and major chemical constituents reported on this tree. Pharmacological activities reported in the review provide scientific evidences for the numerous traditional uses and folklore claims of this plant. Key words: Terminalia catappa L., Ethnomedicinal uses, Pharmacological activity. INTRODUCTION branches are formed in a characteristic, bifurcating pattern. The tiered crown becomes flatter with widespread branches in older Combretaceae is one of the largest families of flowering plants specimens. The trunk is usually straight and reasonably including trees, shrubs, and lianas comprising about 20 genera cylindrical, but in exposed coastal situations it may be crooked and 600 species. Terminalia is a genus of large trees belonging and/or leaning. Buttresses, when present, are up to 3 m (10 ft) in to the family Combretaceae, comprising around 200 species height, variable, straight to curved, thick to thin, sometimes distributed in tropical regions of the world. This genus gets its branching. Large trees may develop big, occasionally branching name from Latin word Terminus, referring to the fact that the buttresses and often have twisted, leaning trunks (Figure 1). leaves appear at the very tips of the shoots. Trees of this genus are known as a good source of secondary metabolites such as It is commonly called as Indian almond, Bengal almond, cyclic triterpenes and their derivatives, flavonoids, tannins, and Country almond, False kamani, Indian almond, Malabar almond, other aromatics. Sea almond and Tropical almond. Synonyms for catappa L. are Terminalia mauritiana Blanco, Terminalia moluccana Lamk Tropical almond botanically equated as Terminalia catappa L. is and Terminalia procera Roxb.1 Regional names of this species a tall deciduous and erect tree reaching 25-40 m, trunk 1-1.5m in include Jangli badam (Hindi), Jangli badam (Marathi), diameter. Younger trees display a characteristic pagoda form, Nattuvadumai (Tamil), Ketapag (Malayalam), Tapasataruvu with a single bole and monopodial horizontal branching in (Telugu), Kadubadami (Kannada), Desiyobadamo (Oriya), regular false whorls of 4–5 branches. Along each lateral, new Badamalili (Gujarati), Kshudrabija and Desabadama (Sanskrit). Figure 1: Morphology and growth habit of Terminalia catappa L. 130 P. Venkatalakshmi et al / Int. J. Res. Ayurveda Pharm. 7(Suppl 2), Mar - Apr 2016 It is called in different names in different languages and various flowers are male, with only a few bisexual flowers positioned countries around the world like English (Beach almond; Country toward the base. Flowering occurs up to 3 times a year. The almond; Indian almond; Malabar almond; Sea almond; Tropical ratio of male to hermaphroditic (female) florets is 16:1. Various almond), Spanish (Almendra; Almendro), French (Amandier de insects (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera and la Martinique; Amandier des Indes; Badamier; Myrobolan), Lepidoptera) pollinate the flowers. Plants usually commence Portuguese (Amendoeira; Amendoeira da India), Andaman & flowering and fruiting from a young age of 2–3 years of out Nicobar (White Bombay; White bombway), Australia planting, but this varies with site and genotype. On highly fertile (Kotamba), Cambodia (Barang; Châmbak barang; Kapang; sites mature fruits have been collected from 18 month old plants. Pareang prang), Colombia (Kotamba), Cuba (Almendro de la Trees may refoliate and flower very soon (within 6 weeks) after India), Fiji (Tavali; Ttivi), Germany (Etangen baum; Indischer being completely defoliated by cyclonic winds. Mandelbaum; Katappenbaum), Hawaii (False kamani; haole; Kamani-haole), Indonesia (Ketapang), Java (Katapang), Leaves Malaysia (Jelawai ketapang; Ketapang), Myanmar (Badan), Leaves are single, alternate obovate with short petioles, spirally Netherlands (Amandel boom; Wilde amandel), Peru (Castana), clustered at the branch tips,15-36 cm long,8-24 cm wide, dark Philippines (Dalinsi; Kalumpit; Logo; Talisai), Solomon Islands green above, pale beneath, leathery and glossy. Before dropping, (Saori) and Sri Lanka (Kottamba). leaves turn bright scarlet, dark red, dark purplish red or yellow. During winter, especially after a sudden rain, leaves are shed all Distribution at once and are quickly replaced with lustrous, silky, purplish Tropical almond has a vast natural distribution in near-coastal new foliage. In Asia, there is a foliage change twice a year. areas of the Indian Ocean, through tropical Asia, and into the Pacific Ocean. The extent to which its range has been increased Fruit through movement and dispersal by humans is difficult to Typically, one to five fruits develop on the basal part of the determine. It extends from the Seychelles through India, the flower spike. The fruit is a sessile, laterally compressed, and Andaman and adjacent islands, and throughout Southeast Asia ovoid to ovate, smooth-skinned drupe. During maturation, it (Myanmar, Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Vietnam, the changes color from green through yellow to bright red or dark Philippines, and Indonesia) to Papua New Guinea and northern purplish-red at full maturity. Fruit size varies considerably. The Australia as far south as the Tropic of Capricorn. The species is kernel consists of two delicate and intricately entwined found throughout the South Pacific region, including the cotyledons enclosed in an inconspicuous cream-colored, rarely Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji. It is present on nearly all red, testa. Fruits are produced when tree is three years old and the high archipelagos of Polynesia and Micronesia but may be are edible in nature. Fruits vary greatly in shape, size and colour. an aboriginal introduction to the eastern parts of its current range (including all of eastern Polynesia). Tropical almond has Seeds been introduced, and frequently naturalized, in many tropical Each fruit contain a cream coloured seed, which encloses the parts of the world including Brazil, the Caribbean, and East kernel (Nut). The rind of the fruit is a light, pithy, or corky Africa. It is naturalized in Florida and Puerto Rico. In Hawai‘i, tissue that enables the fruit to float and be dispersed by sea the species was introduced very early, probably before 1800, currents. Trees are also found away from coasts due to fruits and is now naturalized at low altitudes, mainly near beach being carried inland and dropped by frugivorous birds and bats, shores.2 and as a result of deliberate planting by humans. Habitat Nuts A conspicuous semi-deciduous tree of coastal areas found The kernel can be eaten raw or roasted and has an almond like throughout the warm tropics. It grows best in moist tropical taste. Sun-dried kernels yield 34-54% of bland, yellow, semi- climate. The tree is well adapted to sandy and rocky coasts and drying oil that is edible but becomes turbid on standing. The oil flourishes on limestone. The species loses its leaves twice a year is mainly used in cooking. in most areas, with a brilliant red and yellow display of leaf colour before doing so. Leaf loss helps it tolerate 1 or 2 annual Bark dry seasons when it occurs. Although Indian almond does grow The bark is gray to dark gray-brown and shallowly fissured. when planted on uplands, the natural habitat of the species is in Continuous vertical fissuring and discontinuous horizontal areas just inland from ocean beaches, near river mouths, and on cracks produce a grid appearance; the somewhat flaky bark coastal plains. These areas are typically flat, but they may have peels off in curved or straight scales along these lines. dunes or rocky bluffs. Wood Biophysical limits The tree provides a red, good-quality, elastic, cross-grained Altitude: 0-800 m, mean annual temperature: 15-350 C, Mean timber that seasons well and works easily. Density of the wood annual rainfall: 750-3000 mm Soil type: Olitic limestone. The is 450-720 kg/m³ at 12% mc. It is strong and pliable and is used species grows in greatest concentration on sands and loamy for the construction of buildings, boats, bridges, floors, boxes, sands. Also found on silts, loam, and clays. Soil pH is usually crates, planks, carts, wheelbarrows, barrels and water troughs. neutral to moderately alkaline and rich in bases. However, it will The trunk is a source of gum and black dye; it is used in leather also grow in strongly acid soils. Good drainage is required on preparation and as a base for ink. clay soils.3 Rooting habit BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION The trees usually have a spreading, fibrous, near-surface lateral root system, although the species is normally deep rooted in Flowers sand.4 Shallow lateral root systems can develop in response to The flowers are small (4–6 mm across), white or cream-colored, high water tables, making such trees susceptible to wind throw.5 five-lobed, arranged on long (8–25 cm auxiliary spikes, with a mildly unpleasant smell. Within a spike the majority of the 131 P. Venkatalakshmi et al / Int. J. Res. Ayurveda Pharm. 7(Suppl 2), Mar - Apr 2016 Folklore claims mild laxative and a galactagogue for women, but too frequent Terminalia catappa is a provider of natural medicines.