See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340924341 Distribution and Medicinal Values of Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f.) Ettingsh: a Parasitic Plant of Odisha Chapter · April 2020 CITATIONS READS 0 172 2 authors, including: Sanjeet Kumar Ambika Prasad Research Foundation 283 PUBLICATIONS 600 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Documentation of Floral wealth of Odisha View project Documentation of Faunal wealth View project All content following this page was uploaded by Sanjeet Kumar on 25 April 2020. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. MEDICO BIO-WEALTH OF ODISHA ISBN: 978-81-938861-4-4 CHAPTER 3 Distribution and Medicinal Values of Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f.) Ettingsh: a Parasitic Plant of Odisha Ayswarya Mohanty and Sanjeet Kumar* Biodiversity and Conservation Lab, Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Odisha, India Abstract Dendrophthoe falcata, a parasitic plant has traditionally been considered as an important source of medicine for various diseases. Hence an attempt has been taken to gather the reported information and availability of the species in various places of Khurda and Cuttack Districts. Survey was made during January 2019 to March 2019. Results revealed that plant species is used to treat many disease and disorders. The phytochemical screening and anti-helminthic activity show its pharmacological potential. Keywords: Parasitic plant, Dendrophthoe falcata, Distribution, Ecology. S. Kumar*, Email-Id: [email protected] © Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Odisha, India INTRODUCTION Interactions between organisms in nature is ‘symbiosis’, which may be mutualism, commensalism or parasitism. However, angiosperms themselves are capable of forming symbiotic interactions. Parasitism is highly successful life strategy and a theme that cuts across plant and animal kingdom. The most important nature of parasitic plant is adaptability and co- existence with the associate flora (Saucet and Shirasu 2016). Parasitic plants are quite popular among horticulture enthusiasts because of their unusual habits. The most common reported families of parasitic plants are Santalaceae, Viscaceae, Opiliaceae, Loranthaceae, Cynomoriaceae, and Cuscutaceae, Scrophulariaceae etc (Calvin and Wilson 2009). The maximum number of parasitic plants belongs to family Scrophulariaceae (Bennett and Mathews 2006). The parasitic plants are categorized into hemi parasite & holo parasite. Holoparasites do not need water directly from the soil (Goidwasser et al. 2002). Root system is not well developed and leaves are reduced to scales or spines. The colours of these plants are usually cream, yellow or purple due to absence photosynthesis pigments (Goidwasser et al. 2002). Parasitic plant has a profound effect on host as well as on ecosystem. Parasites acquire all their water, carbon and nutrients via vascular tissue of host plant (Press and Phoenix 2005). Parasitism has major role in balancing the growth, allometry and reproduction of host plant which leads to changes in competitive balance between host and 1 non-host species which further affect vegetation and population dynamics (Westwood et al. 2010). Odisha has high forest cover with its diversified topography, variable climatic conditions provides diverse landscape for parasitic plants (Table 1). Odisha forest cover make up about 37.34% of total land area of the state (Sahu et al. 2018). The emergence of flower alone indicates the existence of some parasitic plant. Among them, Dendrophthoe falcata was selected for experimental works. Dendrophthoe falcata is a medicinal and vulnerable plant found in various places in India. The plant belongs to Loranthaceae family (Shanavaskhan et al 2012). It is found in Bangladesh and widely distributed in Australia, India, China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand with different host plants in large amounts (Mantri et al. 2011). In odisha, it is found throughout the state but mainly in Nuapada, Barhgarh, Bolangir and Kalahandi (Pattnayak and Majumdar 2009). Dendrophthoe falcata has a wide range of host and is known to parasitize on 401 plant species. It was found mainly associated with 20 host plants belonging to twelve families viz. Anacardiaceae, Sapotaceae, Leguminosae, Rhamnaceae, Bombacaceae, Moraceae, Myrtaceae, Meliaceae, Tiliaceae, Boraginaceae, Verbenaceae and Lythraceae (Pandian et al. 2017; Sahu et al. 2018). Among these twelve families, members of Leguminosae were largely hosted with seven different plant species, of which three plant species belonged to subfamily Mimosae (Acacia auriculiformis, Samanea saman & Albizia procera); three to Caesalpinae (Bauhinia purpurea & Peltophorum pterocarpum) and one to Papilionaceae (Dalbergia sissoo). Similarly, two plant species each belonging to family Myrtaceae(Psidium guajava & Eucalyptus globulus) and Moraceae (Ficus religiosa & F. glomerata). Some of its common hosts include Mangifera indica (mango), Dalbegia sissoo (sissoo), Syzygium cumini (Jambolana), Achras zapota (Sapota), Punica granatum (Pomegranate), Callistemon lanceolatus (Bottel brush) and Psidium guajava (Guava) (Kamble et al. 2017; Sahu et al. 2018). Keeping the importance and unique properties of experimental plant, an attempt has been done to evaluate its medicinal values. METHODOLOGY The experimental plant was selected as per availability in study area (Figure 1). The experimental plant species of this region were identified using flora books. (Haines 1925; Saxena and Brahman 1995). The selected plant species were enumerated by Bentham and Hooker systems. Botanical characterization was done using morphological characteristics followed by flora’s book and published articles (Haines 1925; Saxena and Brahman 1995). The sample were collected and kept in poly bags tagged with the botanical name and sorted out as per sampling procedure. Samples specimen were preserved as voucher specimen and were used for herbarium preparation. Different parts of experimental plant were collected and dried at room temperature under shade and were powered after drying using mechanical devices. The powdered material of the experimental plant was kept in tightly closed dishes for further experimental work (Figure 1 & Figure 2). Phytochemical test were used to detect the presence of steroids, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, reducing sugars etc. Medicinal plant research is directed towards verifying ethno- medical claims by herbalist with the ultimate aim of isolating active compounds and standardizing the crude extracts used in traditional medicines (Kumar et al. 2013). Phytochemical analysis was carried out on different extracts of different plant parts using standard procedure to identify the bioactive compounds (Kumar et al. 2013). The anthelmintic activity was performed 2 according to the method of Shekhawat and Vijayvergia (2011) on adult Indian earthworm Pheritima posthumaias. RESULTS & DISCUSSION Some plants draw special attention for their low lethal and other environmentally friendly activities. Epiphytes or air plants that don’t normally root in the soil but grow upon other living plant draw attention as a source of bioactive compounds. The plant uses bridge of tissue connecting the parasitic plants to the host for taking essential things for proper growth. The non- specificity for the selection of host plant is one of the characteristic features of Dendrophthoe falcata. The present work is based on the field survey and experimental work in the laboratory. Plants were collected for phytochemical and anthelmintic activity. The collection and survey of plant was done in Cuttack and Khurdha district. The result revealed that the geographical variation of collected sites and distribution of Dendrophthoe falcata in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack written in the table below (Table 2). Its morphology (Table 3) and distribution is discussed in Table 2. The present study shows the phytochemistry of whole plant and to justify the presence of bioactive compounds. The phytochemical screening revealed that the plant has diverse metabolites as listed in the table. Due to presence of the bioactive compounds the plant and its parts have been variously used to treat a number of ailments and have a high pharmacological value. The most common secondary metabolite present in most of the extract of whole plant were phenolic compound and reducing sugar (Table 4). From the experiment, the anthelmintic activity was performed with earthworm Pheretima posthuma aqueous extract of Dendrophthoe falcata exhibited anthelmintic activity giving shortest time of paralysis and deaths compared to anti worm medicines. From the results it is observed that Dendrophthoe falcata shown potent anthelmintic activity while the antiworm medicines have taken long time for death of worms. Dendrophthoe falcata was taken 25 sec to being paralysis and 45 sec to being death of worm. While the antiworm medicines is showing paralysis with in 1 hour and bring death between 1-2 hours (Table 5). The plant possesses different bioactive compounds and its parts are used against different diseases. These are also used as therapeutic value among many races of the world. All these factors make them pharmacological agents and used in making new compounds that can cure different diseases. From the phytochemical test of the whole plant, it concluded that the plant contains phenolic compounds, reducing sugar, flavonoids, tannin, carbonyl, and phlobatannins. The