Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica ñ Drug Research, Vol. 69 No. 5 pp. 993ñ996, 2012 ISSN 0001-6837 Polish Pharmaceutical Society

SHORT COMMUNICATION

AN OVERVIEW FOR VARIOUS ASPECTS OF MULTIFACETED, HEALTH CARE UNDULATA SEEM.

RAMKUMAR KUMAWAT, SUNIL SHARMA and SURESH KUMAR*

Division of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar-125001,

Keywords: Tecomella undulata, pharmacological profile, phytochemistry

In India, family is represented by VERNACULAR NAME 21 genera and about 25 including the non indigenous ornamental . The genera of Baluchistan: Rori; Bolan: Parpuk; Bombay: Tecomella are a monotypic shrub/ of the arid Lohera, Lohuri, Rakhtreora, Rugtrora, Roira; Hindi: zone region in India. The natural stands of Tecomella Rugtrora, Lasbala: Lahira; Marathi: Rakhtroda, undulata are restricted to the western parts and a few Raktarohida, Marara: Rohira, Roira; Punjab: Lahura, to southeastern parts of . The species has been Luar, Rohira, Roir; Pushtu: Raidawan, Rebdan, identified as an important for environmental conserva- Rebdun; Sanskrit: Chalachhada, Kushalmali, tion in arid zones as a stabilizer of shifting sand dunes, Kutashalmali; Sind: Khen, Lahero, Lohuri (11). providing shelter for . It is also a very useful species for afforestation of the drier tracts due to its SYNONYMS: undulata G. Don, Bignonia drought and fire resistant properties (1). It occurs on undulata Sm. flat and undulating areas including gentle hill slopes and some times also ravines and thrives very well on TRADE NAME: Rohida tree, Desert teak, stabilized sand dunes, which experience extreme low teak. and high temperatures. It plays an important role in ; it acts as a soil binding tree by spreading a SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION network of lateral root on the tops surface of the soil. Kingdom: Plantae; Order: ; Family: It acts as a windbreak and helps in stabiling shifting Bignoniaceae; Genus: Tecomella; Species: T. sand dune. The tree is propagated from seeds and cut- Undulata; Binomial Name: Tecomella Undulata (12). ting and succeeds well in drained fibrous land (2). It is a common agroforestry tree species in the DESCRIPTION of for its higher survival rates even in extreme drought conditions (3). It has significant anti- A shrub or small tree with drooping branches. cancer, hepatoprotective (4), analgesic (5) and anti- Leaves are simple, 1ñ3.2 cm long, narrowly oblong, bacterial activity (6, 7). The bark contains tecomine, obtuse, entire with undulate margins. Flowers are β-sitosterols, chromones glycosides, undulatosides, inodorous, in corymbose few flowered racemes ter- tecomellosides, tecosides lapachol, veratric acid etc. minating short lateral branches, pedicles 6ñ13 mm (8ñ10). long, calyx 9.5ñ11 mm long, campanulate, lobes 3 mm long broadly ovate, obtuse and mucronate. HABITAT Corolla 3.8ñ6.3 cm long, orange yellow, campanu- late, lobes 5, subequal and rounded. Stamens exsert- The species of Tecomella undulata is restricted to ed, filaments glabrous, stigma 2-lamellate, lobes the drier parts of the Arabia, southern Pakistan and spathulate-oblong and rounded. Capsules 20 by 1 northwest India. In India, it occurs mainly in Ma- cm slightly curved, linear-oblong, acute, smooth; harashtra, , Rajasthan, Punjab and (11). valves thin. Seeds (including the wing) 2.5 by 1 cm,

* Corresponding author: e-mail: [email protected]; phone: 91-9255577435; fax: 01662278181

993 994 RAMKUMAR KUMAWAT et al. wing very narrow round the apex of the seeed, rhoea, leucoderma (Ayurveda). The bark of the young absent at its base (13). branches is often employed in Sind as a remedy for syphilis (Murray). Bark possesses mild relaxant, car- MACROSCOPICAL EXAMINATION OF diotonic and choleretic activities. The plants extract BARK (13) possesses anticancer, hepatoprotective, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal and anti termite activities. 1. Shape and structure ñ curved; 2. Color: Outer Tecomella undulata is also used in the treatment of surface ñ Dull brown grey or grey in color, Inner sur- typhoid fever, diabetes, syphilis and eczema (19, 20). face ñ Dark brownish; 3. Taste ñ tasteless; 4. Odor ñ odorless; 5. Fracture ñ short; 6. Size ñ length 20 cm. PHARMACOLOGICAL PROFILE

PHYTOCHEMISTRY The various pharmacological activities report- ed are given below as: Different chemical constituents such as rader- machol, undulatin, lapachol, tecomelloside, stigmas- Hepatoprotective activity terol, β-amyrin, β-sitosterol, β-sitosteryl acetate, Ethanolic extract of stem of Tecomella undulata campasterol and many others have been isolated from has hepatoprotective activity. Oral administration of T. the plant. A new glycoside tecomin is isolated from undulata at 100 mg/kg resulted in significant reduc- the bark of the plant. Lapachol, veratric acid, dehy- tion in serum aspartate aminotransaminase (35% and drotecol, β-sitosterol, a wax alcohol ferulate, n-tri- 31%), alanine aminotransaminase (50% and 42%), contanol and tecomelloside is isolated from heart- gama glutamyl traspeptidase (56% and 49%), alkaline wood and bark. Rutin, quercetin, luteolin-7-glycoside phosphate (46% and 37%), total bilirubin (61% and and β-sitosterol were isolated from flowers of the 48%) and liver MDA level. Significant improvement plant. A new iridoid glycoside-6-O-veratryl-catalpo- in liver glutathione when compared with thioacet- side-α-lapachone was isolated from roots (14). amide damaged rats was also observed (4). T. undulata leaves have oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, triacontanol, cirsimaritin, cirili- Analgesic activity neol, pentariacontanol and 4,5-dihydroxy-3,6,8- The methanolic extracts of Tecomella undulata trimethoxyflavones (15, 16). Structures of some of exhibits analgesic activity. Using the hot water tail the compounds mentioned are shown in Figure 1. immersion test in mice, the extract was tested for The seed oil contains 7.14% tannin and seed oil their oral analgesic (5). contains linoleic acid (53%) along with lauric acid. The kernels yield 44.5% of fatty oil (17). Antibacterial activity The methanolic extracts of Tecomella undulata PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS exhibits antibacterial activity. Tecomella undulata (Sm.) methanolic extracts inhibited S. epidermidis and B. sub- Extractive values of extracts are presented in Table tilis. The plant extracts possess antibacterial properties 1 (18). that can be used as antimicrobial agents in new drugs for the therapy of infectious diseases caused by pathogens MEDICINAL USES (7). Both aqueous and alcoholic leaf and stem extract of

The plant is also useful in urinary discharges due to ìkaphaî, ìpittaî, enlargement of the spleen, leucor-

Table 1. Extractive values of extracts of Tecomella undulata. Solvent % Yield (w/w) 1. Hexane 0.16 2. Petroleum ether 10.03 3. Chloroform 1.80 4. Ethyl acetate 16.92 5. Methanol 18.57 6. Water 8.85 Figure 1. Tecomella undulata tree An overview for various aspects of multifaceted health care Tecomella undulata Seem. plant 995

Table 2. Qualitative phytochemical tests of extracts of bark of Tecomella undulata (11). Constituents Powder drug Petroleum ether extract Ethyl acetate extract Methanol extract Aqueous extract 1. Carbohydrates ñve ñve ñve ñve ñve 2. Proteins and amino acids ñve ñve ñve ñve ñve 3. Alkaloids ñve ñve ñve ñve ñve 4. Flavonoids ñve 5. Tannins and phenolics +ve +ve +ve +ve +ve 6. Fixed oil and fats ñve ñve ñve ñve ñve 7. Phytosterols +ve +ve +ve +ve +ve 8. Glycosides +ve ñve ñve +ve +ve 9. Gum and mucilage ñve ñve ñve ñve ñve 10. Saponins +ve +ve ñve +ve +ve 11. Volatile oils ñve ñve ñve ñve ñve +ve = positive, ñve = negative

strong HIV prohibitors. Octadimethyl succinate derivatives of oleanolic acid and betulinic acid have been reported to have 24 times more active than AZT (a drug currently used in AIDS) (15).

Antifungal and anti termite activity The stem extracts of Tecomella undulata have antifungal and anti termite action. The heart wood of Tecomella undulata contains lapachol, which has antifungal and anti termite properties (15).

Smooth muscle relaxant activity Water soluble portion of alcoholic as well as the chloroform extracts of the bark of Tecomella undulata has smooth muscle relaxant activity. Dosage ñ Flower, bark 50ñ100 mL decoction (17).

Cardiotonic and chloretic activity Alcoholic and chloroform extracts of bark of Tecomella undulata have cardiotonic and chloretic activity. The extracts of Tecomella undulata increase the bile flow (17). Figure 2. Structures of some compounds found in of extracts of Tecomella undulata Immunomodulatory activity Oral administration of the ethanolic extract of bark of Tecomella undulata, at the doses of 100 mg/kg in mice, dose-dependently potentiated the T. undulata showed growth inhibitor of Salmonella delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction induced by typhi, a causal organism of typhoid fever (6). sheep red blood cells (SRBC). To evaluate the effect of Tecomella undulata on humoral response, its Anti HIV activity influence was tested on sheep erythrocyte specific Tecomella undulata leaves have oleanolic acid, heme agglutination antibody titre in mice. ursolic acid and betulinic acid compound that have Cyclophosphamide at a dose of 50 mg/kg, p.o., 996 RAMKUMAR KUMAWAT et al. showed significant inhibition in antibody titre 7. Parekh J., Jadeja D., Chanda S.: Turk. J. Biol. response, while ethanolic extract of Tecomella undu- 29, 203 (2005). lata was found to significantly enhance the produc- 8. Rastogi R.P., Mehrotra B.N.: Compendium of tion of circulating antibody titre (22). Indian Medicinal Plants, Vol. 2, p. 711, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and National Safety profile Institute of Science Communication and No adverse effects in recommended doses (5). Information Resources, New Delhi 2006. 9. Ambasta S.P.: The useful plants of India, p. AYURVEDIC FORMULATIONS 623, National Institute of Science and Communication, New Delhi 2000. Rohitakarista, Rohitakyadi churna, Livonil 10. Nandkarni K.M., Nandkarni A.K.: Indian Syrup (20) Materia Medica, 3rd edn., p. 1197, Popular Prakashan Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai 2006. CONCLUDING REMARKS 11. Kirtikar K.R., Basu B.D.: Indian medicinal plants, 2nd edn, p. 1841, International Book Thus with the matter collected in this article, it Distributors, Dehradun 1984. is concluded that the plant have a lot of medicinal 12. Pullaiah T.: Encyclopedia of Word Medicinal and pharmacological uses. The plant can be get from Plants, p. 23, Regency Publications, New Delhi the market in various forms with cheaper prices. So, 1917. with the help of the natural herb, we can take bene- 13. Pandey V.B., Dasgupta B.: Experientia 26, fit of that in the stressful life nowadays. The scien- 1187 (1970). tific work clinically, for various other pharmacolog- 14. Mohibb e A.M., Ghanim A.: Biochem. Syst. ical interrelated activities, can be done in the future. Ecol. 28, 803 (2000). So the interrelated help regarding the future work 15. Bhau B.S., Negi M.S., Jindal S.K., Sing M., can be obtained from the article. Lakshmikumarn M.: Curr. Sci. 93, 67 (2007). 16. Azam M.M.: Orient J. Chem. 15, 375 (1999). REFERENCES 17. Khare C.P.: Indian medicinal plants, An illus- trated dictionary, p. 649, Springer, Berlin 2007. 1. Shankaranarayan K.A., Nanda P.A.: Ann. Arid. 18. Mukherjee P.K.: Quility Control of Herbal Zone 1, 174 (1963). Drugs. An approach to evalution of botanicals, 2. The Wealth of India, first supplements series p. 390, Business Horizons, New Dehli 2002. vol 5; RñZ, p. 195, National Institute of Science 19. Kirtikar K.R., Basu B.D.: Indian Medicinal Communication and Information Resources and Plants, 2nd edn., p. 362, International Book Central Drug Research Institute, New Dehli Distributors, Dehradun 1841. 2008. 20. Ullah M.O., Hamid K., Rahman K.A., 3. Anonymous. Genetic diversity analysis in Choudhuri M.S.K.: Biology and Medicine, 2 Tecomella undulata. Biomed. News 4, 89 (2), 26 2010. (2003). 21. Jain U., Soni D.K., Ahrodia R.P.: Asian J. Exp. 4. Khatri A., Garg A., Agrawal S.S.: J. Sci. 7, 35 (2003). Ethnopharmacol. 122, 1 (2009). 22. Choudhary G.P.: Asian J. Pharm. Biol. Res 1, 5. Ahmad F., Khan R.A., Rasheed S.: J. 67 (2011). Ethnopharmacol. 42, 193 (1994). 6. Dushyent G., Bohara A.: Curr. Sci. 78, 780 Received: 03. 06. 2011 (2007).