11627 Siddhartha Singh et al./ Elixir Appl. Botany 52 (2012) 11627-11634 Available online at www.elixirjournal.org Applied Botany Elixir Appl. Botany 52 (201 2) 11 627 -11634 Medicinal properties and uses of orchids: a concise review Siddhartha Singh 1,* , Amit Kumar Singh 1, Sunil Kumar 2, Mukul Kumar 3, Pramod Kumar Pandey 1 and Mayanglambam Chandra Kumar Singh 1 1Department of Basic Science and Humanities, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Central Agricultural University, Pasighat-791102, Arunachal Pradesh, India. 2Department of Floriculture, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Central Agricultural University, Pasighat-791102, Arunachal Pradesh, India. 3Department of Tree Improvement, Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Central Agricultural University, Pasighat-791102, Arunachal Pradesh, India. ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: From the primitive period medicinal plants have occupied a distinct place in human’s life. Received: 28 July 2012; They have been the backbone of traditional herbal medicines and have been extensively Received in revised form: studied because of their pharmacological importance. Orchids are one of the largest groups 19 November 2012; of Angiosperms belonging to the family Orchidaceae. A number of constituents obtained Accepted: 21 November 2012; from different parts of orchid suggest biological activity. Alkaloids are nitrogenous organic heterocyclic molecules that have pharmacological effects on humans and other animals..In Keywords orchids, 214 species in 64 genera contain 0.1% or more alkaloids. Besides alkaloids, they Orchids, also possess flavanoids, phenanthrenes, terpenoids, bibenzyl derivatives and other Secondary biologically active compounds. The present review deals with the phytochemicals present in Metabolites, orchids and their medicinal properties. Phytochemicals, © 2012 Elixir All rights reserved. Medicinal property. Introduction and Thunia [2, 5]. Certain constituent of orchids such as Orchids are one of the largest and most diverse groups of alkaloids, flavonoids etc. suggest medicinal properties. The angiosperms consisting of nearly 25,000 species with more than present review deals with the phytochemistry and medicinal uses 850 genera [1, 2]. They are generally cultivated for beautiful of orchids. flowers and are widely known for their economic importance Phytochemicals & Medicinal Properties of Orchids: and very less for their medicinal use. Chinese were the first to A number of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, bibenzyl present documentary evidence for medicinal uses of orchids. derivatives, flavonoids, phenanthrenes etc. has been reported The earliest report for the medicinal use of orchids is from 28 th from orchids. Presence of these phytochemicals provides century B.C. when Shen-nung described Bletilla striata and a antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antiviral activities, Dendrobium species in his Materia Medica . The literal meaning etc. (Table 1 & 2). Various other phytochemicals has been of the term orchid ( órkhis ), in Greek is testicles and it was reported from orchid species. 2, 6-Dimethoxy-1, 4- Theophrastus who first coined the term as the anatomy of plant benzoquinone which is reported to have allergic reaction has resembles testicles [1]. The Greek myth of Orchis explains the been isolated from Cymbidium sp. [6]. Heptacosane (C 27 H56 ) and origin of the plants. Orchis, the son of a nymph and a satyr, octacosanol (C 28 H58 O) which has been found to show marked came upon a festival of Dionysios (Bacchus) in the forest. He anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan induced oedema in drank too much, and attempted to rape a priestess of Dionysios. rats and mice [7] is reported from Vanda roxburghii For his insult, he was torn apart by the Bacchanalians. His father [8].Calanthoside which showed an activating effect on skin prayed for him to be restored, but the gods instead changed him blood flow has been isolated from Calanthe discolor and into a flower. These flowers were previously called Orchis , Calanthe liukiuensis [9]. Habenariol has been isolated from Satyrion ( Satyrion feminina ), or "ballockwort". Orchids have Habenaria repens which inhibits the lipid peroxidation of been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and some them human low density lipoprotein [10]. Scopoletin and scoparone have been subjected for phytochemical and pharmacological which exhibit invitro ant-platelet aggregation activity has been studies. India is one of the richest habitats of orchid. India isolated from Dendrobium densiflorum [11]. Gastrol which is comprise of about 2500 species in 167 genera. In India, some reported to have relaxant effects on smooth muscle preparations orchids like Eulophia campestris, Orchis latifolia, Vanda of guinea pig ileum has been isolated from the rhizomes of roxburgii have drawn the attention of scientific community Gastrodia elata [12]. Nidemin and 9,19-Cyclolanosta-24,24- because of their medicinal properties [3, 4]. Medicinal orchids dimethyl-25-en-3β-yl-trans-p-hydroxycinnamate has been mainly belong to genera: Calanthe, Coelogyne, Cymbidium, isolated from Scaphyglottis livida and Nidema boothi [13]. Cypipedium, Dendrobium, Ephemerantha, Eria, Galeola, Agrostophyllinol and agrostophyllinone has been isolated from Gastrodia, Gymnadenia, Habenaria, Ludisia, Luisia, Nevilia Agrostoohyllum brevipes [14]. Alkyl ferulates with Tele: +91-9402477043 E-mail addresses: [email protected] © 2012 Elixir All rights reserved 11628 Siddhartha Singh et al./ Elixir Appl. Botany 52 (2012) 11627-11634 antiooxidatve properties has been isolated from methanolic Anti-inflammatory Activity: extract of Dendrobium monoliforme [15]. Various other Several members of orchid family were found to have anti- antioxidants such as cis & trans-Melilotoside, inflammatory activity. Marked anti-inflammatory activity in dihydromelilotoside has been isolated from Dendrobium sp. carrageenan induced oedema in rats and mice is shown by [16]. Cirrhopetalanthrin which has shown cytotoxicity against Vanda roxburghii. The anti anrthritic activity was found to be human colon cancer (HCT-8), human hepatoma (Bel7402), superior to that of phenyl butazone [30]. Heptacosane and human stomach cancer (BGC-823) human lung adenocarcinoma octacosanol isolated from Vanda roxburghii root was found to (A549), human breast cancer (MCF-7) and human ovarian have anti-inflammatory activity [31]. The anti-inflammatory cancer (A2780) cell lines is isolated from Cremastra activity is due to long chain alkanes and alkanols (ranging C-27 appendiculata [17]. Compounds with anti tumor activities have to C-32) which are ubiquitous in plants [31]. The ethanolic also been isolated from Bulbophyllum kwangtungense extract from the leaves of Anoectochilus formosanus have [18].CymbidineA with hypotensive and diuretic activities from showed delayed onset of anti-inflammatory activity starting Cymbidium goeringii [19] and Cyclobalanone and 5 α-lanosta- from 4 hours post carrageenan administration. Anoectochilus 24,24-dimethyl-9(11),25-dien-3β-ol which produces dose formosanus have also produced histological changes. dependent antinociceptive and anti inflammatory effect from Improvement in inflammatory infiltration of lymphocytes and Scaphyglottislivida has also been isolated [20].Kinsenoside with kupffer cells around the central vein was achieved by the use of significant antihepatotoxic activity has been isolated from this orchid [32]. Several compounds with anti-inflammatory Anoectochilus formosanus [21]. activity were isolated from Dendrobium monoliforme [33, 34]. Antimicrobial Activity: 7-hydroxy-5,6-dimethoxy-1,4-phenanthrenequinone isolated A number of members of orchid family are used as potent from Dendrobium moniliforme have shown inhibitory effect on inhibitor against gram positive and gram negative bacteria and VHR dual specificity protein tyrosine phosphatase activity [34], also proved to be a potent antimicrobial agent. Gastrodianin, a whereas Dendroside A, C and vanilloside from the same source protein isolated from orchid Gastrodia elata have shown invitro have shown stimulatory effect on proliferation of B cells and activity against plant pathogenic fungi [2]. Gastrodianin is inhibitory effect on proliferation of T cells [35]. homologus to mannose binding proteins of other orchids some Gastrodia elata has also been a good source of compounds of which also displayed invitro antifungal activity [22]. The with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-angiogenic activity methanolic extract from different parts of orchids has shown [36, 37]. Many phenolic compounds such as 4- antimicrobial activity. The methanolic extract derived from the hydroxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, leaves of Spiranthus mauritianum have shown inhibitory effect bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl) methane, 4(4'-hydroxybenzyloxy) benzyl against gram positive bacteria and also showed anti- methyl ether, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 4-hydroxy- inflammatory activity [23]. The methylene chloride extract from 3-methoxybenzaldehyde and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid the leaves and stem bark of Galeola foliate have shown a broad with anti-inflammatory as well as analgesic activity has been spectrum antibacterial activity against gram positive and gram isolated from Gastrodia elata [2]. The ethanolic extract from the negative bacteria, however the extract was found to be inactive rhizomes of Gastrodia elata have shown inhibition of against moulds [24]. Vanillin,