International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research IJETSR www.ijetsr.com ISSN 2394 – 3386 Volume 5, Issue 3 March 2018 Review: Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of Gymnema Sylvestre. 1 Shobha Rupanar, 2Shirish Pingale 1. Research Scholarat Baburaoji Gholap College, New Sangavi, Pune & Faculty at Dr. D.Y.Patil School of Engineering, Maharashtra, India. 2Dept. of Chemistry, A. C. S. College Narayangaon, Junnar, Pune, Maharashtra, India Abstract Medicinal plants are the key source for drugs in the Indian medicine system and also in other ancient systems in the world.Nutritional value of medicinal plants has been intensively evaluated for many decades.Gymnema sylvestre, awell- known antidiabetic important medicinal plant, whose therapeutic value has been studied in different systems of traditional medication. The plant used for the management of different disease and ailments of human beings. Along with this G. sylvestre have antidiabetic, antiinflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. Present review gives information about recent studies done on G.sylvestre& highlights its phytochemical and biological potential. Key words: Gymnema sylvestre, Phytochemical, Pharmacological profile 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1Information of Plant Gymnema sylvestre Wild R.Br belongs to family Apocynaceae (Subfamily: Asclepiadaceae), an herbal medicinal plant used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes.In ancient times, Gymnema was known as ‘Gurmar’, which means sugar killer. This plant is used by Indian healers for nearly 2000 years as part of the Ayurvedic traditional system. Forcenturies, Gymnema plant extracts have been used as treatment for diabetes,aas it can lead to serious complications ranging from stroke to blindness. The plant has wide utilityin treatment of both types of diabetes, type I and II. Literature search shows that it not only lowers the level of blood sugar but may help repair damaged cells in pancreas, the gland in which insulin is produced thereby improving production. In addition, Gymnema is reputed to reduce the urge to eat sweets thus it helps to avoid eating sweets. Many individuals have experienced that drinking a cup of tea with a few drops of gymnema extract will make sweet things bitter for at least two hours. Therefore, this herb is useful in controlling diabetes in the existing and prospective patients.It is a valuable medicinal plant used in folk medicine to treat diabetes, obesity, asthma etc. in India for antiquity. Itis also used in the treatment of asthma, eye complaints, inflammations, family planning and snakebite. It also acts as feeding deterrents tocaterpillar, Prodenia eridania. It alsoprevents dental caries caused by Streptococcus mutans and in skin cosmetics [1].The plant is used as therapeutic agents for treatment of several pathogenic caused diseases. 1.2 Botanical description of the plant:The medicinal plant is avaliable throughout India, in dry forests upto 600 m, common throughout the district from January to November. Distributed in Asia, Trophical Africa, Malaysia and Srilanka [1]. (a) Classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Angiospermae Class: Dicotyledoneae Order: Contortae Family:Apocynaceae 756 Shobha Rupanar, Shirish Pingale International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research IJETSR www.ijetsr.com ISSN 2394 – 3386 Volume 5, Issue 3 March 2018 Sub Family: Asclepiadaceae Genus:Gymnema Species:Sylvestre R.Br. Botanical Name: Gymnema Sylvestre R.Br. (b) Botanical synonym: Asclepias geminata Roxb, Periploca sylvestris Retz. (c)Vernacular name:[2], Sanskrit: Meshashringi, Madhunashini, Hindi: Gur-mar, Merasingi, Marathi: Kavali, Kalikardori,Vakundi, Gujrathi: Dhuleti, Mardashingi, Telugu: Podapatri, Tamil: Adigam, Cherukurinja, Kannada: Sannagerasehambu. 1.3 Part used: Leaves, Stem, Root [3]& Fruit [4] 1.4 Botanical Description: Fig. 1 shows a G.sylvestre plant. G. sylvestre is a large &woody climber. Leaves of this plant are opposite, usually elliptic or ovate (1.25– 2.0 inch × 0.5–1.25 inch). Flowers are small, yellow, in umbellate cymes. Follicles are terete, lanceolate, upto 3 inches in length. Fig.1: 2.0PHYTOCONSTITUENTS OF G. SYLVESTRE Gymnema sylvestre is one ofmedicinal plant used in traditional Indian medicine system and studies on this plant were started as early as 1930. It is well known antidiabetic plantcontains several secondary phytochemicals belonging to category alkaloids, terpenoids, tannin, saponin, flavonoid, phenols, anthraquinones, carbohydrates, and glycosides[2].Due to the large range of biological activities, considerable work has been done to isolate and identify chemical constituents of these leaves.Gymnema leaf contains 4 to 10 % of a group of more than 20 saponins glycosides of the olenane-type including gymnemic acids I-XVIII and gymnemasaponins I-V, Some of the gymnemic acids are acylated (Contains an acyl group), while the gymnemasaponins are non acylated. Acylation affects pharmaceutical activity. Dammarane-type saponins and a polypeptide consisting of 35 amino acid residue called gurmarin and other olenane-type saponins (gymnemasins) have also been isolated. 757 Shobha Rupanar, Shirish Pingale International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research IJETSR www.ijetsr.com ISSN 2394 – 3386 Volume 5, Issue 3 March 2018 Leaves of G. sylvestre contain triterpene saponins belonging to oleanane and dammarene classes. Oleanane saponins are gymnemic acids and gymnemasaponins, while dammarene saponins are Gymnemoside[5].The group of antidiabetic molecules has been identified as a gymnemicacids after it was successfully isolated and purified fromthe leaves of G. sylvestre [6]. Along with this other plant constituents are flavones, anthraquinones, hentriacontane, pentatriacontane, α and β-chlorophylls, phytin, resins, dquercitol, tartaric acid, formic acid, butyric acid, lupeol, β- amyrin related glycosides and stigmasterol.Leaves of this species produce acidic glycosides,anthraquinones and their derivatives [7]. The essential oil obtained fromleaves of G.sylvestre plant shows antioxidant and antimicrobial activity [8]. The reported bioactive phyto constituents of G.sylvestre are summarized in Table No. Table No. 1 ReportedBioactive Phytoconstituents fromG.Sylvestre Sr. No. Reference Phytoconstituents & Their Biological activity 1 Arun et al (2014) Gymnemic acid Anti-ulcer, anti-stress, anti-allergic, and functional properties [9] 2 Gupta et al (2014) Gymnemic acid Antimicrobial activity [10] 3 Khanna et al (2009) Gymnemagenol Leishmanicidal activity[11] 4 Vediyappan et al (2011) Gymnemic acids Antifungal applications[12] 5 Daisy Pitchai et al (2009) Dihydroxy gymnemic Normoglycemic&Hypolipi triacetate demic activity[13] 6 Wu Xiangyang et al (2008) Polysaccharides Scavenge hydroxyl radicals [14] 7 Zhongyao et al (2008) Conduritol Hypoglycemic activity [15] 8 Khanna et al (2008) Saponins Antimicrobial activity [16] 9 Sarkar, Sudip et al (1995) Triterpenold saponins Hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic[17] 11 Kurihara et al (1992) Gymnemic acid homologues Sweetness-inhibiting and Gurmarin substances[18] 10 Toshiaki et al (1991) Peptide Suppressive effect on the neural responses[19] 11 Dateo et al (1973) Gymnemic acid, Antisaccharine [20] 12 Kurihara et al (1969) Gymnemic acid A1 and its Antisweet activity [21] derivatives 13 Singh et al (2016) Gymnemic acid, Immunomodulatory property[22] 14 Verma, Nimisha et al (2008) Glycoside Antidiabetic activity[23] 15 Sugihara et al (2000) Gymnemic acid IV Antihyperglycemic effects[24] 16 Tasaki et al (1988) Gymnemic acids Intestinal sugar absorption inhibiting and anticaries activity[25] 17 Rao et al (1974) Triterpenoid saponins Antiviral activity[26] 18 Sinsheimer et al (1968) Gymnemic acids Antiviral activity[27] 19 Maeda et al (1989) Gymnemic acid [28] 758 Shobha Rupanar, Shirish Pingale International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research IJETSR www.ijetsr.com ISSN 2394 – 3386 Volume 5, Issue 3 March 2018 20 Rao et al (1970) Gymnemic acids A-D [29] 21 Wang, Ying et al (2004) Gymnemic acid A. [30] 22 Dateo et al (1973) Gymnemic acid A1 [31] 23 Rao et al (1971) Gymnemagenin and [32] Gymnestrogenin 24 Yoshikawa et al (1989) Gymnemic acid V, VI and VII [33] 25 Lu et al (2009) Conduritol A [34] 26 Wei et al (2008) Conduritol a [35] 27 Zhu et al (2008) Triterpenoid saponins [36] 28 Benbassat et al (2006) Triterpenic prosaponin and [37] sapogenin 29 Daisy et al (2007) Gymnemic triacetate [38] 30 Peng, Shu Lin et al (2005) Triterpenic acid [39] 31 Liu et al (2004) Flavonol glycosides [40] 32 Ye et al (2001) 23-hydroxylongispinogenin, [41] Gymnestrogenin and Gymnemanol. 33 Ye et al (2001) Antisweet saponins [42] 34 Murakami et al (1996) Gymnemosides a (I) and b (II), [43] gymnemic acid V 35 Ye et al (2000) Oleanane saponins [44] 36 Sahu et al (1996) Triterpenoid saponins [45] 37 Yoshikawa et al (1993) Gymnemic acids XV-XVIII [46] 38 Miyatake et al (1993) Conduritol A [47] 39 Yoshikawa et al (1991) Gymnemosides I-VII, [48] 40 Yoshikawa, Kazuko(1991) Gymnemasaponins I-V [49] 41 Yoshikawa et al (1989) Gymnemic acid V, VI and VII [50] 42 Stoecklin et al (1969) Glycosides and aglycons [51] 3.0 STUDIES ON PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE 3.1General properties of the Plant: Literature search indicatesGymnema Sylvestre can be used for the following purpose: 1. Normalizes high blood sugar levels (hypoglycemic) 2. May put the brakes on the urge to eat sweets 3. Diuretic 4 Astringent 6. Stomachic 3.2Gymnema sylvestre is known to possess many pharmacological