ETHNOMEDICINAL USES, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGICAL ... ISSUE 20-1/2389-2399 (259).pdf ·...

ETHNOMEDICINAL USES, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGICALACTIVITIES OF CITRULLUS COLOCYNTHIS SCHRAD : AN OVERVIEW

Dheeraj Kumar, Ashmita and Pushpa Dahiya*Department of Botany, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak (Haryana), India.

AbstractPlants are used in ethnomedicine from prehistoric time due to presence of active biomolecules in them. Man depends uponplants for a variety of purposes viz. medicinal, clothing, food, fodder and fuel. Plants have been used to treat microbialinfections and strengthening the immune system for health management. Plant products are easily accepted by humanpopulation for treatment of various health ailments as they are cost effective and without any side effect. Citrullus colocynthisSchrad (Cucurbitaceae), which is commonly called as Bitter Apple or Desert Gourd play important roles in traditional healthcaresystem. It is known for its anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anthelmintic, cathartic and carminative activities; andused for blood purification, breast cancer treatment, urinary infection etc. It is abundant source of secondary metabolites likealkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, steroids, unsaturated sterols and terpens. Some other phytocompounds viz.tocopherol, benzofuran, caffeic acid, catechin, cucurbitacin (E, B, L and I), chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hexanoicacid, isovitexin, phthalic acid and quercetin have also been reported. The phytoconstituents present in Citrullus colocynthispossess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antirheumatic, anticancerous, cytotoxic, antidiarrhial, antiageing andanalegesic properties. This review describes about ethanomedicinal importance, phytoconstituents present and variouspharmacological activities of isolated phytocompounds from Citrullus colocynthis which would be helpful for researchers,scientists and pharmacologist to develop new medicines for health benefits of mankind.Key words : Ethnomedicine, phytoconstituents, pharmacologist, Citrullus colocynthis.

IntroductionPrimitive people chiefly depend upon on the plants

for their food, healthcare and livelihood. Even today, plantproducts are widely accepted for treatment of varioushealth ailments as they are cheap, easily available andwith least side effects. According to WHO (World HealthOrganization), about 80% of the 5.2 billion people dependssolely on conventional uses of plants; nearly 21,000species of plants are used in folk medicine. Out of thetotal plant diversity available on earth, more than 30%have been used to treat various diseases (Khan and Iqbal,2011). Plants are truly the “backbone” of traditionalhealthcare system and in developing countries about 3.3billion people are mainly dependent on plants for theirtraditional uses. Semenya et al. (2018) reported that inSouth Africa about 306 plant species are used to curethe respiratory infection and other respiratory related

problems. In India, there are different system of medicinalusages like Aurveda, Unani, Homeopathy, Sidda, Amachi,Reflexology, Natropathy, Aromatotheraphy etc.(Gahlawat et al., 2014).

The Cucurbitaceae family contains most diverse typeof plant. This family includes mostly vegetables grown insummer. Cucurbits are the most common member of thefamily so that it is popularly known as gourd or cucurbitfamily (Rahman et al., 2018; Kocyan et al., 2007). About130 genera and nearly 800 species are present in thisfamily (Dhiman et al., 2012). The gourd family hotspotsareas included West Africa, Southeast Asia, Mexico andMadagascar (Schaefer and Renner, 2011). The familycontains a number of compounds which are used for theircytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, heptoprotective andcardiovascular effects (Dhiman et al., 2012). Out ofnearly 47,000 plant species present in India, about 7500plant species have been reported for their medicinal

Plant Archives Vol. 20 Supplement 1, 2020 pp. 2389-2399 e-ISSN:2581-6063 (online), ISSN:0972-5210

*Author for correspondence : E-mail: [email protected]

2390 Dheeraj Kumar et al.

values; approximately 800 plant species are currently usedfor the preparation of modern medicines. So huge numberof plant species are yet to be explored for their medicinalvalues.

Citrulus colocynthis Schrad commonly known as“Bitter apple” in English and “indrayan or ghorumba” inhindi is very important annual or perennial wild plant. Itis found mainly in arid zones and has a great survivalrate and can bear extremely harsh conditions (Lioyal andJohn, 1898).Scope of review

This present review describes about activephytoconstituents present in Citrulus colocynthis withtheir pharmacological activities along with its uses intraditional system of medicine. All the information havebeen collected from different search engines viz. sciencedirect, google scholar, web of science, Scopus, pub med,Wiley online library, springer; online/offline thesis, journals,books, proceedings etc. All the collected information’shave been compiled at one place that would be helpfulfor researchers, pharmacologists, scientists, chemists andtoxicologists for future research and development.Origin and distribution

Citrullus colocynthis is a desert vine that grows insandy and arid soils. It is native to dry area of NorthAfrica or Mediterranean region and Asia. It is generallydistributed in Kuwait, Iran, Arab, Pakistan, Lebanon,Afghanistan, India, and North Africa, Turkey, Jordan toEgypt, Europe, Australia and Sahel.Classification

Kingdom : PlantaeSub-kingdom : Tracheobionta

Division : MagnoliophytaClass : MangnoliopsidaOrder : CucurbitalesFamily : CucurbitaceaeGenus : CitrullusSpecies : Colocynthis

Variety/synonymsCitrullus psudocolocynthis, Citrullus valgaris

Schard and Citrullus officinalis Schard.Vernacular name

African : EgusiGerman : KoloquintheFrench : ColoquinteEnglish : BitterAppleArabic : HindalUrdu : Tumba, HanjalSanskrit : IntravaruniHindi : Indrayan, GhorumbaTamil : KumattiTalgu : ChittipaparaBangali : MakhalGujrarati : IndrayanPunjabi : Ghurumba

Botanical charactersCitrullus colocynthis is xerophytic annual or

perennial creeper vine commonly known as desert gourd.Roots are large perpetual, bifurcated, long and rocky.

Fig. 1 : Citrullus colocynthis (A-ripe fruit, B-dry fruit with seeds).

Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry and Biological Activities of C. colocynthis Schrad 2391

Stem is globular, tough, slender, angular and have roughhair and branched tendril which helps in climbing. Leavesare palmate, regular and divided into 2-7 lobes. They arearranged alternately on petioles with length 5-10 cm andwidth 1.5-2 cm, respectively. Flower is monoecious,yellow in color, pedunculated, small, single, solitary in leafaxil. Flowering period is November to June and fruitingoccurs in July to December. Fruits are globular, indehisent,orange, yellow or green in color with surface marks, bitterin taste because of the presence of colocynth, pepo. Theyare usually 15-20 in number and round in shape with 7-10 cm diameter. Generally average mass of Citrulluscolocynthis fruit is 506g and pulp mass is 50% of fruit

mass (Aviara et al ., 2007). Seed are numerous,compressed oblong shaped, parietal placenta, white andbrown in color, hard coriaceous rind and embedded inwhite spongy pulp. Seed number per fruit varies from200-300.Ethnomedicinal uses

Citrullus colocynthis Schrad (Cucurbitaceae) is animportant plant species having potential ethnomedicinaluses. Different plant parts viz. leaves, fruits, roots, flowersand seeds are used for the treatment of various humandiseases. The ethnomedicinal uses are given in table 1.Phytochemistry

Citrullus colocynthis is a rich source of secondarymetabolites such as alkaloids, sterols, saponins, steroids,terpenes and flavonoids prepared in different solventshas been reported by various workers (Sultan et al., 2010)as shown in table 2.Biological activities

Citrullus colocynthis is useful medicinal plant dueto presence of important phytoconstituents and used forthe treatment of different diseases. Different phyto-constituents isolated from different parts of Citrulluscolocynthis along with their biological activities are givenin table 3.

Table 1 : Ethnomedicinal profile of Citrullus colocynthis.

S. Plant part Ethnomedicinal uses Referenceno.

1. Leaves Used in diabetes and asthma treatment Abo et al. (2008), Shrivastava and Roy (2013),Gurudeeban et al. (2010)

2. Fruit Used in diabetes treatment, blood Herbalpathy, Goldfain et al. (1989)purification, relieve constipation

3. Unripe green fruit Used in tumour, leucoderma, ulcers, Hutt and Houghton (1998), Nandagopalan et al.asthma, bronchitis, jaundice, elephantiasis, (2011)splenomegaly and tubercular glands(neck) treatment

4. Root Used for breast cancer, urinary infection Shrivastava and Roy (2013), Yadav et al. (2006),and cough treatment Marzouk et al. (2010)

5. Root and fruit Used to treat irritation of palm of hand or Shrivastava and Roy (2013), Razi et al. (2000)combination sole of foot and scorpion stings bite

6. Leaf, root and Used for jaundice, cancer, rheumatoid Nandagopalan et al. (2011)flower combination arthritis and constipation treatment;as an

abortifacient

7. Seed Used for diabetes treatment Herbalpathy

8. Whole plant Has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, Torkey et al. (2009), Mehrzadi et al. (2016),antipyretic, anthelmintic, carminative and Roy et al. (2007)cathartic activities

Table 2 :Phytochemical analysis of different parts of Citrulluscolocynthis.

S. Phytochemical Constituents Fruit Root Leavesno.

1 Alkaloidc + + -2 Flavonoids + + -3 Saponins + + -4 Sterols and steroids + + +5 Tannins + + -6 Unsaturated sterols and terpens + + +

Where, + indicates presence of phytochemical and – indicatesabsence of phytochemical.


Tabl

e 3:

Bio

logi

cal a

ctiv

ities

of p

hyto

-con

stitu

ents

of C

itrul

lus

colo

cynt

his

:

S. n

o.C

ompo

und

iden

tified

Che

mic

al S

truc

ture

Bio

logi

cal a

ctiv

ities

Ref

eren

ces

1.1,2

-A

nti-

hype

rtens

ionR

educ

e ch

oles

tero

lId

an et

al.

(201

5)B

enze

nedi

carb

oxyl

ic a

cid

2.B

enzo

fura

nA

nalg

esic

and

ant

i-inf

lam

mat

ory

Idan

et a

l. (2

015)

3.α-tocopherol

Ant

ioxi

dant

, ant

i-rhe

umat

icD

uke (

1992

)

β-tocopherol

γ-carotene

4.C

affe

ic a

cid

Ant

ioxi

dant

, ant

i-inf

lam

mat

ory,

antic

ance

rous

,D

uke (

1992

)an

tiage

ing,

ana

lege

sic

5.C

atec

hin

Ant

ioxi

dant

, ant

i-inf

lam

mat

ory

Duk

e (19

92)


Tabl

e 3

cont

inue

d...

6.C

hlor

ogen

ic a

cid

Ant

ioxi

dant

Hua

ng an

d Fe

rrar

o (1

992)

7.C

ucur

bita

cin

EA

nti-m

icro

bial

, ant

i-can

cero

us, c

ytot

oxic

,A

bdul

lah

et a

l. (2

014)

anti-

alle

rgic

8.C

ucur

bita

cin

BC

ytot

oxic

, ant

i-can

cero

usA

bdul

lah

et a

l. (2

014)

9.C

ucur

bita

cin

IIC

ytot

oxic

Abd

ulla

h et

al.

(201

4)

10.

Cuc

urbi

taci

n L

Ant

imic

robi

al, c

ytot

oxic

Abd

ulla

h et

al.

(201

4)

11.

1,1–

Imm

unos

uppr

essa

n an

d an

ti-tu

mor

Idan

et a

l. (2

015)

Cyc

lopr

opan

edim

etha

nol


Tabl

e 3

cont

inue

d...

12.

D-G

luco

pyra

nosi

deA

nti-m

icro

bial

and

ant

i-spa

smod

icId

an et

al.

(201

5)

D g

luco

pyra

nosy

l

13.

Ethy

l iso

-allo

chol

ate

Ant

i-mic

robi

al a

gent

s an

d an

ti-in

flam

mat

ory

Idan

et a

l. (2

015)

activ

ity

14.

Feru

lic a

cid

Ant

ioxi

dant

, ant

i-inf

lam

mat

ory,

antia

llerg

icH

ussa

in et

al.

(201

3),

Leun

g an

d Fo

ster

(199

5)

15.

Gal

lic ac

idA

ntic

ance

rous

,ant

i-inf

lam

mat

ory,

anal

eges

ic,

Kro

es (1

991)

,flo

ral i

nhib

itor

Jeffe

ry et

al.

(198

3)

16.

Hex

anoi

c ac

idA

ntifu

ngal

act

ivity

Idan

et a

l. (2

015)

17.

Isoo

rient

in3-

o-m

ethy

lA

ntio

xida

ntD

uke (

1992

)et

her


Tabl

e 3

cont

inue

d...

18.

Isov

itexi

nA

ntio

xida

ntN

igg

and

Seig

ler (

1992

)

19.

Kae

mpf

erol

Ant

ioxi

dant

, ant

ican

cero

us, a

nti-i

nfla

mm

ator

y,D

uke (

1992

)an

tialle

rgic

20.

Met

hyl

6-ox

ohep

tano

ate

Ant

i-can

cer

activ

ityId

an et

al.

(201

5)

21.

Myr

icet

inA

ntio

xida

ntD

uke (

1992

)

22.

Nor

met

hado

lA

ntio

xida

nt a

ctiv

ityId

an et

al.

(201

5)

23.

Prop

anes

ulfo

nate

Ant

i-sca

ling

agen

tsId

an et

al.

(201

5)

24.

Oct

adec

anoi

c ac

idA

ntim

icro

bial

and

anti-

infla

mm

ator

yId

an et

al.

(201

5)

25.

9,12

,15

-Oct

adec

atrie

noic

Ant

i-inf

lam

mat

ory

and

anti-

athe

roge

nic

Idan

et a

l. (2

015)

acid

prop

ertie

s


Tabl

e 3

cont

inue

d...

26.

9,12

,15-

Oct

adec

atrie

noic

Ant

i-inf

lam

mat

ory

and

CN

S de

pres

sant

act

ivity

Idan

et a

l. (2

015)

acid

, 2,3

,-d

ihyd

roxy

prop

yl e

ster

27.

9 -O

ctad

ecen

amid

e,(z

)-A

nti-i

nfla

mm

ator

y ac

tivity

, ant

ibac

teria

l act

ivity

Idan

et a

l (20

15)

28.

Palm

itic a

cid

Larv

icid

al a

ctiv

ityId

an et

al (

2015

)

Stea

ric a

cid

Lino

leic

aci

d

Ole

ic ac

id

29.

Phth

alic

aci

dA

nti-h

yper

cho

lest

erol

, Bio

logi

cal a

ctiv

ities

Idan

et a

l (20

15)

like

antim

icro

bial

, ant

ifung

al a

nd a

ntio

xida

ntac

tivity

30.

p-C

oum

eric

acid

Ant

ioxi

dant

Duk

e (19

92)

31.

Que

rcet

inA

ntio

xida

nt, a

ntid

iaba

tic, a

nti-i

nfla

mm

ator

yD

uke (

1992

)an

tiage

ing,

anal

eges

ic


Tabl

e 3

cont

inue

d...

32.

Sina

pic

acid

Ant

ioxi

dant

Duk

e (19

92)

33.

Tria

zido

-(1,2

,3,4

,-

Ant

i-inf

lam

mat

ory

Idan

et a

l (20

15)

5-pe

ntam

ethy

lcyc

lope

nt

34.

Vani

llic a

cid

Ant

ioxi

dant

Duk

e (19

92)

35.

Vita

min

EA

ntio

xida

nt a

ctiv

ityId

an et

al (

2015

)

36.

y-to

coph

erol

Ant

ioxi

dant

act

ivity

Idan

et a

l (20

15)

ConclusionAfter analysis of the available literature; it is

concluded that root and fruits of Citrullus colocynthisare the most widely used in ethnomedicine viz. diabetes,tumour, leucoderma, ulcers, asthma, bronchitis, jaundice,elephantiasis, splenomegaly, breast cancer, urinaryinfection and cough treatment. They are used to treatirritation in palm of hand or sole of foot, blood purificationand scorpion stings bite. Alkaloids, sterols, saponins,steroids, flavonoids, terpenes and simple phenolics arethe dominant phytoconstituents of this plant. Additionallypure compounds such as isovitexin, kaempferol, phthalicacid, quercetin, sinapic acid, vanillic acid, vitamin E, vanillicacid, benzofuran, caffeic acid, catechin, gallic acid, ferulicacid, palmitic acid, myricetin, normethadolm etc. wereidentified as biologically active compounds. As this plantratify many traditional uses further research, clinical andin vivo trials should be taken along in future directions.However seasonal and geographical variation could playan important role for the authentication of thephytoconstituents that are responsible for biologicalactivities. Further research and trails should be undertaken for the better therapeutic and economic utilizationof Citrullus colocynthis.Authors contribution

DG collected information from different online aswell offline sources, designed, prepared, and interpretatedthe available literature, Ashmita collected data onethnomedicinal uses and contributed in editing ofmanuscript, PD drafted the manuscript and give the finalapproval to manuscript to be published.

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