Munish, et al. Int J Pharm 2016; 6(1): 95-98 ISSN 2249-1848 International Journal of Pharmacy Journal Homepage: http://www.pharmascholars.com Review Article CODEN: IJPNL6 LAGERSTROEMIA SPECIES: A REVIEW Munish PAL*, Deepika Thareja, Chandana Majee Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, NIET, Plot no.19, Knowledge park-II, Greater Noida, U.P. 201306 - India *Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] Received on: 04-11-2015; Revised on: 15-12-2015; Accepted on: 22-12-2015 ABSTRACT Lagerstroemia species family Lytharceae, a popular Indian medicinal plant, has long been used in ayurvedic system of medicine. The plant has been found to possess diverse number of pharmacological activities. The present paper gives an account of pharmacological activities. The review reveals that wide range of phytochemical and pharmacological activities. The review reveals that wide range of phytochemical constituents have been isolated from the plant and it possesses important activities like anti- inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic, anti- hyperglycemic, and antioxidant. Various other activities anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral, antineoplastic and osteoblastic activities has also been reported. These reports are very encouraging and indicate that herb should be studied more extensively for its therapeutic benefits. Clinical trials using Lagerstroemia (Banaba) for variety of combinations in different formulations should also be conducted. Keywords: Lagerstroemia indica, Lythraceae, Phytochemical screening. INTRODUCTION with smooth, flaky bark. The leaves are deciduous, oval to elliptic, 8-15 cm long and 3-7 cm broad, with Lagerstroemia speciosa (Lytharceae) is a shrub to an acute apex. The flowers are produced in erect large tree with multiple trunks or stems diverging panicles 20-40 cm long, each flower with six white to from just above the ground level. The genus purple petals 2-3.5 cm long [7]. Banaba has a long Lagerstroemia was first described by Carlos history of folkloric medical applications that include Linnaeus. The name Lagerstroemia recognizes blood pressure control, urinary dysfunctions (helps Magnus von lagerstroem, a Swedish naturalist who ease urination), controls the cholesterol levels, provided specimens from the east for Linnaeus [1]. treatment of diarrhea, facilitates bowel movement, The Lagerstroemia genus or crape myrtle, which Diabetes and as analgesic [8]. From China, Korea, belongs to the Lythraceae family, Myrtales order Japan and Indian Subcontinent Lagerstroemia indica containing more than 50 species [2]. It is originally is an often multi-stemmed, deciduous tree with a endemic to south East Asia, Indian subcontinent and wide spreading, flat topped, rounded, or even spike northern parts of Australia [3-4]. Banaba is widely shaped open habit. Planted in full sun or under distributed in Philippines, India and Malaysia. The canopy, the tree is a popular nesting shrub for fruits are subglobose capsule type, and they are 2-3.2 songbirds and wrens. Crepe myrtle (দেশিফুরুস), cm long [5]. Banaba extracts possess good Kolkata West Bengal, India. Many hybrid cultivars antiobesity effect, without any adverse effects [23]. have been developed between L. indica and L. faueri The chemical constituents of Lagerstroemia speciosa [9]. include ellagitannins and related compounds in leaves and fruits [6]. It is also widely cultivated as an Synonyms/Common Names/Related Substances: ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical areas. It Banaba extract, banglang (Vietnam), bang-lang is a small to medium-sized tree growing to 20 m tall, (Cambobia), bungor (Malaya, Sabah), Byers www.pharmascholars.com 95 Munish, et al. Int J Pharm 2016; 6(1): 95-98 ISSN 2249-1848 wonderful white crape myrtle, crape myrtle, crepe PLANT DESCRIPTION myrtle, corosolic acid, ellagitannins (flosin B, reginin Shrubs or small trees to 7 m tall. Branchlets slender, A, lagerstroemin), flos-reginae Retz, Glucosol TM, 4-angled or subalate, puberulous, glabrescent. Leaves glucosal, intanin (Thailand), jarul (India), sessile or with petiole to ca. 2 mm; leaf blade elliptic, Lagerstroemia, Lagerstroemia indica, Lagerstroemia oblong, obovate, or suborbicular, typically at least parviflora, Lagerstroemia speciosa, leaf extract, some suborbicular to obovate and mucronate, 2.5–7[– lasubine, Lythraceae (family), lythraceae alkaloids, 10] × 1.5–4 cm, papery to slightly leathery, glabrous Munchausia speciosa, Pride-of-India, pyinma, or with slight indumentum on veins abaxially, lateral Queen’s crape myrtle, Queens flower. veins 3–7 pairs, base broadly cuneate to rounded, apex acute, obtuse with small mucro, or retuse. Taxonomy Panicles subpyramidal,7–20 cm, puberulous, densely Scientific classification flowered. Floral tube 6-merous, 7–11 mm, smooth Kingdom: Plantae walled or obscurely to decidedly 6-ribbed, glabrous; Order: Myrtales sepals 3.5–5.5 mm, adaxiallyglabrous; annulus Family: Lythraceae present; epicalyx absent. Petals purple, fuchsia, pink, Genus: Lagerstroemia; or white, orbicular, 1.2–2 cm including claw 6–9 Species: L. indica. mm. Stamens 36–42, dimorphic. Ovary glabrous. Binomial name: (Lagerstroemia indica (L.) Pers. [9] Capsules ellipsoidal, 1–1.3 × 0.7–1.2 cm, 4–6- valved.Seeds including wing ca. 8 mm [11]. A Close view of the crape myrtle flower. Chemical constituents: Corosolic acid (I) is useful laboratory, corosolic acid is prepared in low yield by as an ingredient in medicines, cosmetics and health chromatographic isolation from plant extracts [10]. foods, is known tobe contained in Eriobotrya The chemical constituents of Lagerstroemia speciosa japonica (loquat), Lagerstroemia spesiosa (banaba), include ellagitannins and related compounds in Rhabdosiajaponicas (IsodonisHerba), leaves and fruits. Extracts of leaves contain alanine, Epilobiumangustifolium (fireweed), isoleucine alpha amino butyric acid and menthionine, Elliottiapaniculata (Hotsutswuji) and many other but no alkaloids or glucosides or sterols orflavonoids. plants and it has been found to have pharmaceutical Leaves also contain lageracetal, amyl alcohol, ellagic actions such as an anti-diabetic action and a blood acid, beta sitosterol, new tannin-lager tannin; 3, 3, 4- glucose level lowering action. In small scale in the tri-O-methylellagic acid and 3-O-methyllagic acid www.pharmascholars.com 96 Munish, et al. Int J Pharm 2016; 6(1): 95-98 ISSN 2249-1848 Figure 1.Corosolic acid. inhibition of cough reflex at 90 min after drug PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES administration [17]. The following pharmacological activities have been reported on the genus: Cytotoxic activity: Using the brine shrimp (Artemiasalina) lethality bioassay, the ethanol fruit Antimicrobial activity: The antibacterial activity of extract of L. speciosa showed prominent cytotoxic leaves of L. speciosa has been reported. L. speciosa activity. Lethal concentration (LC50) was 60 µg/ml leaf powder extracts were tested against and LC90 was 100 µg/ml [18]. Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli with Anti-obesity activity: Significant reduction of body ampicillin as standard [12]. Based on the zone of weight and parametrial adipose tissue weight was inhibition, the water extract was more effective than observed in obese female KK-AY mice when fed the ethanol extract. The inhibitory efficacy of with a hot water L. speciosa leaf extract. Although methanol extract of L. speciosa leaves was tested blood glucose levels and serum lipids were against 12 oral isolates of Streptococcus mutans comparable between the control diet and test diet using the agar well diffusion method [13]. Results groups, the triglyceride content in the liver was showed significant inhibitory activity against reduced, confirming the anti-obesity activity of L. cariogenic isolates with zones ranging from 0.0−0.9 speciosa [19]. cm, 0.8−2.1 cm and 1.0−2.6 cm for extract concentrations of 10, 25 and 50 mg/ml, respectively. Xanthine oxidase inhibition: Valoneic acid Flowers of L. speciosa have also been reported to dilactone isolated from aqueous leaf extract of L. possess antibacterial activity. Methanol extract of speciosa was reported to have potent inhibitory effect flower was tested against S.mutans and S. aureus onxanthine oxidase (XOD), suggesting its potential in using the agar well diffusion assay [14]. preventing and treating hyperuricemia. The inhibitory effect was non-competitive and stronger than that of Anti-inflammatory activity: The anti-inflammatory allopurinol, a clinical drug. XOD is the key enzyme activity of ethyl acetate and ethanol leaf extracts of L. in hyperuricemia as it catalyses the oxidation of speciosa had been examined using the carrageenan- hypoxanthine to xanthine and subsequently uric acid. induced acute inflammation and formalin-induced [20, 21]. chronic paw oedema assays [15. Antiviral activity: When tested for anti-human Antioxidant: Saumya and basha 2011 worked on the rhinovirus (HRV) activity in HeLa cells, orobol 7-O- antioxidant effect of Lagerstroemia speciosa D-glucoside (O7G) isolated from L. speciosa leaves (banaba) leaf extract in streptozocin induced diabetic showed broad-spectrum anti-HRV activity towards mice. They found that aqueous banaba leaf extract HRV of groups A and B. The inhibitory (150mg/kg body weight) duly reduced STZ generated concentration (IC50) of O7G ranged from 0.58−8.80 reactive intermediate and radical species helping to μg/ml and the cytotoxic concentration (CC50) was regulate normal levels of antioxidative markers like more than 100