Review Article International Ayurvedic Medical Journal ISSN:2320 5091 PHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW OF CISSUS QUADRANGULARIS LINN (ASTHISHRINKHALA) Atram Seema Assistant Professor, Department of Dravyaguna, R. A. Poddar Govt. Ayurvedic College, Wo rli, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India ABSTRACT Cissus quadrangularis Linn. is also known as Asthishrinkala in traditional system of old Indian medicine. Almost all parts like, Root, Stem, Leaf are most important part used medicinally. Plant possesses many activity like Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Gastro protective activity. Plant is used in worm infestation, bowl disorder, ophthalmic disease. From last few decades research work has been done to prove its biological activities and efficacy of its extract. This review highlights some of the phyto-chemical and pharmaco- logical aspect of plant. It deals with the information describe in Ayurvedic literature, scientific research conduct on different aspect of plant. Keywords: Asthishrinkhala, Ayurvedic Classification, classical uses, Phytochemical constituents, Pharmacological properties INTRODUCTION1 Asthishrinkhala is also known as Cissus Sanskrit: - Granthiman, Asthisamhari, quadrangularisis Linn. (C. quadrangula- Vajrangi, Asthishrinkhala. risis L.) or Vitis quadrangularis. It be- Classification as mention in Samhita longs to family vitaceae. It's a common Varga : Guduchyadi varga - Bhavprakash perennial climber which distributed nighantu2. throughout India particularly in tropical Laxmanadi varga - Shodhal nighantu35. regions. The plant requires warm tropical Macroscopic character34 - climate and it survives throughout the Roots - are aerial, develop during rainy year in different seasons. Propagate by season. stem nodes easily sprouting, seedling for Stem - is buff colored with greenish ting, new plant of climbing habit, cutting in dichotomously branched, sub-angular, the month of June and July. It planted in glabrous, fibrous and smooth. hedges and boundary walls of gardens, Tendril - occasionally present at nodes. farms and cultivated fields and also in Internodes - measures 4-5 cm long and 1- pots. It is climbing herb, tendrils simple, 2 cm thick. opposite to the leaves, leafless when old. Leaves - are simple or lobed, cordate, Botanical Name: - Cissus quadrangularis broadly ovate or reniform, serrate, den- Family: - Vitaceae tate, sometimes 3-foliate. Atram Seema: Pharmacological Review Of Cissus Quadrangularis Linn (Asthishrinkhala) Flowers - are small, greenish white, bi- a wide pith composed of thin-walled, cir- sexual, tetramerous, in umbellate cymes, cular to oval parenchymatous cells; opposite to the leaves. Petals are 4-5, im- idioblasts containing raphides and iso- bricate. lated acicular crystals of calcium oxalate Calyx - is short, entire, deciduous and present in the outer region of cortex and cup shaped. also in a number of cells throughout the Fruit - are globose or obovoid fleshy ber- region; rosette crystals of Calcium Oxa- ries, succulent, very acrid, dark purple to late also found in most of the cells in cor- black. tical region; starch grains present Seeds - are ellipsoid or pyriform, one throughout the cortical and the pith re- seeded, flowering and fruiting time - post gions. rain and autumn season. Leaf: Microscopic description34 - Midrib - Keeled on adaxial side, convex- Stem - Shows squarish outline with ly rounded on abaxial side; ground tissue prominent projection at each annular parenchymatous, thin walled cells, those point; epidermis single layered, covered in periphery containing chloroplasts; a externally with thick cuticle; epidermal small patch of sclarenchyma and below cells thin-walled, rectangular and tangen- this group of chollenchyma cell in the tially elongated, followed by 2-3 layers keel; a ring of 4 to 6 vascular bundles of cork and single layered cork cambium; without bundle sheaths; some cell of mi- cortex composed of 8-16 layers of thin- dribs have druses and raphides, each vas- walled, circular to oval parenchymatous cular bundle consists of a centripetal xy- cells; four patches of collenchymatous lem composed of sieve tubes, companion cells present in all the four angular points cells and phloem parenchyma with few embedded in cortical region like an um- small cavities dispersed among them. brella arching over large vascular bun- Lamina - A section through the leaf dles; in the projected portion of angular shows well defined upper and lower epi- region cortical cells filled with brown-red dermis comprised of parenchymatous cell contents present; endodermis not distinct; rounded in vertical section and angular in stele consists of a large number of vascu- surface view; stomata present on both lar bundles varying in size arranged in the surface anomocytic; mesophyll of lamina form of a ring separated by rays of paren- undifferentiated; margin composed of a chyma; 3-4 vascular bundles larger in patch sclerenchyma; stomatal index for size, in each angular region, below col- upper surface not more than 4 while for lenchymatous patch, while rest of bun- lower surface not more than 5. dles smaller in size; vascular bundles col- Powder - Epidermal cells in surface view lateral and open type, capped by showing anticlinal division and stomata; sc1erenchymatous sheath which is well fragments consisting of hexagonal paren- developed in larger bundles; chymatous cells of ground tissue some cambium and interfascicular cambium showing the presence of crystals of cal- quite distinct; central region occupied by cium oxalate as druses and raphides; 1233 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 3; Issue 4; April- 2015 Atram Seema: Pharmacological Review Of Cissus Quadrangularis Linn (Asthishrinkhala) some fragments having vessels, fiber and analgesic. It uses to cure pile, chronic starch grain. ulcer. Plant recommended in Vatavyad- Organoleptic character of powder- his. Very few classical and traditional Color - Cream color light yellow formulations are available. Some Clas- Odor - Slightly characteristic. sical formulations are discussed below. Taste - Slightly characteristic. 1. Asthishrinkhala Vatak. 2 Ayurvedic Properties of Whole plant37 It's multi drug preparation of Asthi- It is a medicinal plant it's been shrinkhala 1 part with black gram flour 1 used in Ayurveda since the time of part. Bhavprakash nighantu written by Indication: The vataka is recommended Acharya Bhavprakash in 16th century, 2 in treatment of joint disorder. the plant beneficial for healing the frac- 2. Asthisamharaka Swaras3 ture of bone. The plant also documented Plant stem juice could be used for Nasya in Ayurveda for treatment of Osteoarthri- (nasal drop purpose) in treatment 2 drops. tis, Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporo- Indication: Epistaxis, for treating worm sis. infestation add vidanga churna take twice Rasa- Madhura daily. Guna - Laghu, Ruksha 3. Asthisamharaka lepa3 Vipaka - Madhura The leaf crushed and applies on wound to Veerya - Ushna arrest bleeding. Doshaghnata - kaphavata shamak. Indication: Fresh wound cuts. Karma: Dipana( appetiser), Pachaka( di- It will arrest bleeding. Especially in gestant), Raktashodhaka ( blood purifier), wound form due to bone fracture. raktastambhaka ( arrest bleeding), Bhag- 4. Asthisamharaka churna36 na- Ashtibhagna ( it uses in bone fracture Asthishrinkhala, arjuna, godhuma, laksha healing). Krimighna - It eliminates the all ingredient taken in equal quantity for Krimi ( work in worm infestation) in fine powder form mixed with ghrita ,Arshoghna - It helps to cure piles. Ak- taken along with milk. shirogajit - It used in ophthalmic disease. Indication: Asthibhanga chikitsa Vrushya - It is aphrodisiac. 5. Asthisamharaka taila2 Classical uses37 Oil processed with whole plant for local It is useful in asthma, the stem ground or application. beaten into paste and internally used in Indication: It is recommended in treat- asthma. , the leaves and stems are fre- ment of Rheumatoid arthritis and os- quently taken with curry and the stem are teoarthritis. boiled and fried for preparing vegetables Raw drug standardization (As per under dietetics including condiments and API) 1619 of Cissus quadrangularies other food preparation. The young shoots stem1, 14, 15. are of the burnt ashes in closed vessels Herbal medicines are prepared and administered in dyspepsia. The stem from materials of herbal origin, which are is bitter, laxative, aphrodisiac, tonic, often obtained from varied geographi- 1234 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 3; Issue 4; April- 2015 Atram Seema: Pharmacological Review Of Cissus Quadrangularis Linn (Asthishrinkhala) cal/commercial sources. They may ically so the drug which has been chosen slightly vary in composition and proper- for further processing should have all pa- ties due to their minute differences in pa- rameters stated. Analytical value of raw rameters it directly impacts on quality of form of C. quadrangularisis L. like total final formulation. API has stated the cash value, extractive value, fixed oil standardized format for each herb specif- etc., are given in table. Parameters Values % Foreign Matter < 1% w/w Total ash < 5% w/w Acid insoluble ash < 1% w/w Water soluble extractive > 3% w/w Fixed oil > 3% w/w Sulphated Ash content < 5% w/w Arsenic < 1 ppm Lead < 5 ppm Total bacterial count < 800 cfu/g Total fungal count < 500 cfu/g Moisture content < 5% w/w Phytochemical Constituents 1. Onocer – 7 ene 3 α, 21 β diol (C30H52 The plant consists various consti- O2, m.p. 200-202 0C) tuents such as flavanoides, triterpenoids, 1. Onocer – 7 ene 3 β, 21 α diol (C30H52 vitamin ‘C’, stilbene