Secondary Metabolites of Medicinal Plants. Bharat Singh

heat-treated and sun-dried leaves of C. alata along with kaempferol 3-O-gentiobioside were assessed for anti-inflammatory activity. The strong inhibitory effects were showed by extracts of heat-treated and sun-dried leaves on concanavalin A-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal exudate cells. The heat-treated leaf extract demonstrated higher anti-inflammatory activity than sun-dried leaf extract (Moriyama et al. 2003). From suspension cultures of Cassia didymobotrya, several polyphenolic compounds were characterized: 7-acetylchrysophanol, chrysophanol-physcion-10,10′-bianthrone, (E)- and (Z)-3′-hydroxy-3,4,5′-trimethoxystilbene, (E)-4,3′-dihydroxy-3,5′-dimethoxystilbene, and 7,4′-dihydroxy-3,5,3′-trimethoxyflavone (Delle Monache et al. 1991).

Maximum callus induction was achieved on MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D and kinetin. Sigmoid growth pattern was obtained with the highest growth index was on days 30–34 and lowest at day 15 of subculture (Vats and Kamal 2014a). The estimated values of experimental study were revealed that the maximum yield of flavonoids was found in the leaves of C. occidentalis, while in the stem the values were minimum. Plant parts and in vitro cultures were studied for their antioxidant potential using DPPH assay. Among the plant parts, the highest activity was found to be in the leaves and the lowest in the seeds (Vats and Kamal 2014b).

      Cell culture studies of C. tora were carried out by using nodal explants. Maximum callus yield was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D, NAA, and kinetin. Highest growth index was obtained at the 30th day of subculture in both the plants. Analysis of plant parts revealed maximum content of flavonoids in leaves and minimum in stem. The plant parts and in vitro cultures were also studied for their antioxidant potential (Vats and Kamal 2014c). Two novel alkaloids with an unprecedented tricyclic skeleton, cassiarins A and B, have been isolated from the leaves of Cassia siamea, and the structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic data. Cassiarin A showed a potent antiplasmodial activity (Morita et al. 2007).

References

      1 Abdel-Rahman, I.A.M., Abdel-Baky, A.M., Desoky, E.E.-D.K. et al. (2013). Establishment of callus and cell suspension cultures of Cassia bicapsularis L. Bull. Pharm. Sci., Assiut Univ. 36: 23–30.

      2 Abo, K.A., Adediwura, A.A., and Ibikunle, A.J. (1998). Biological activities of extracts of Mallotusoppositifolium. In: Proceeding of the 1st International Workshop on Herbal Medicinal Products, 22–24. Ibadan, Nigeria: University of Ibadan.

      3 Abo, K.A., Lasaki, S.W., and Adeyemi, A.A. (1999). Laxative and antimicrobial properties of Cassia species growing in Ibadan. Niger. J. Nat. Prod. Med. 3: 47–50.

      4 Aboul-Enein, A.M., El-Ela, F.A., Shalaby, E., and El-Shemy, H. (2014). Potent anticancer and antioxidant activities of active ingredients separated from Solanum nigrum and Cassia italica extracts. J. Arid Land Stud. 24: 145–152.

      5 Adjanahoun, E., Ahyi, M.R.A., Ake-Assi, L. et al. (1991). Contribution to ethnobotanical floristic studies in Western Nigeria, vol. 420. Lagos, Nigeria: Organization of African Unity.

      6 Arvind, K. and Shamshun, N. (2007). Environmental Protection. New Delhi: Daya Publishing House.

      7 Ayo, R.G. (2010). Phytochemical constituents and bioactivities of the extracts of Cassia nigricans Vahl: a review. J. Med. Plants Res. 4: 1339–1348.

      8 Ayo, R.G., Amupitan, J.O., Ndukwe, I.G., and Audu, O.T. (2009). Some chemical constituents of the leaves of Cassia nigricans Vahl. Afr. J. Pure Appl. Chem. 3: 208–211.

      9 Bahorun, T., Neergheen, V.S., and Aruoma, O.I. (2005). Phytochemical constituents of Cassia fistula. Afr. J. Biotechnol. 4: 1530–1540.

      10 Bhakta, T., Mukherjee, P.K., Saha, K. et al. (1998). Studies on in vivo wound healing activity of Cassia fistula Linn. (Leguminosae) leaves in rats. Nat. Prod. Sci. 4: 84–87.

      11 Chidume, F.C., Gamaniel, K., Amos, S. et al. (2001). Pharmacological activity of the methanolic extract of Cassia nigricans leaves. Indian J. Pharmacol. 33: 350–356.

      12 Damodaran, S. and Venkataraman, S. (1994). A study on the therapeutic efficacy of Cassia alata L. leaf extract against Pityriasis versicolor. J. Ethnopharmacol. 42: 19–23.

      13 Dave, H. and Ledwani, L. (2012). A review on anthraquinones isolated from Cassia species and their applications. Indian J. Nat. Prod. Res. 3: 291–319.

      14 Delle Monache, G., De Rosa, M.C., Scurria, R. et al. (1991). Metabolites from in vitro cultures of Cassia didymobotrya. Phytochemistry 30: 1849–1854.

      15 El-Sherbeni, S.A., Moustafa, S.M.I., Ibrahim, A.-R.S. et al. (2014). Anti-oxidant and cytotoxic activities of Cassia nodosa Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb. and some of its pure constituents. Afr. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 8: 586–597.

      16 El-Toumy, S.A., El Souda, S.S., Mohamed, T.K. et al. (2012). Anthraquinone glycosides from Cassia roxburghii and evaluation of its free radical scavenging activity. Carbohydr. Res. 360: 47–51.

      17 Esimone, C.O., Nworu, C.S., Ekong, U.S., and Okereke, B. (2008). Evaluation of the antiseptic properties of Cassia alata-based herbal soap. Int. J. Alternat. Med. 6: 1–5.

      18 Girhepunje, K., Arulkumaran, Pal, R. et al. (2009). A novel binding agent for pharmaceutical formulation from Cassia roxburghii seeds. Int. J. Pharm. Pharm. Sci. 1: 1–5.

      19 Godoy-Hernandez, G. and Loyola-Vargas, V.M. (1991). Effect of fungal homogenate, enzyme inhibitors and osmotic stress on alkaloid content of Catharanthus roseus cell suspension cultures. Plant Cell Rep. 10: 537–540.

      20 Gupta, D. and Singh, J. (1991). Flavonoid glycosides from Cassia alata. Phytochemistry 30: 2761–2763.

      21 Herman, F.M., Donald, F.D., Charles, E.O., and David, E. (1978). Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. New York: Wiley.

      22 Hugnette, A., Raphaël, B., Jean Marie, B., and Chantal, M. (2005). Essential oil constituents of Cassia alata L. from Gabon aromatic plants of Tropical Central Africa. J. Essent. Oil Res. 17: 9–12.

      23 Igoli, J.O., Ogaji, O.G., Tor-Ayiin, T.A., and Igoli, N.P. (2005). Traditional medicinal practice amongst the Igede people of Nigeria. Part II. Afr. J. Tradit. Compliment. Altern. Med. 2: 134–152.

      24 Iwalewa, E.O., Lege-Oguntoye, L., Rai, P.P. et al. (1990). In vitro antimalarial activity of leaf extracts of Cassia occidentalis and Guiera senegalensis in Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis. West Afr. J. Pharmacol. Drug Res. 4 (Suppl): 19–21.

      25 Iwalewa, E.O., Lege-Oguntoye, L., Rai, P.P., and Iyaniwura, T.T. (1997). In vivo and in vitro antimalarial activity of two crude extracts of Cassia occidentalis leaf. Niger. J. Pharm. Sci. 5: 23–28.

      26 Jacob, D.L., Odeh, S.O., and Otsapa, P.B.L. (2002). Preliminary in vivo studies of the anti-ulcer effects of the crude seed and leaves extracts of Cassia occidentalis in albino Wistar rats. J. Med. Trop. 4: 15–18.

      27 Jain, S.K. (1968). Medicinal Plant (India – Land and Land People Series). New Delhi: National Book Trust.

      28 Jalalpure, S.S., Patil, M.B., Pai, A. et al. (2004). Antidiabetic activity of Cassia auriculata seeds in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Nig. J. Nat. Prod. Med. 8: 22–23.

      29 Kalaiyarasia, C., Karthikaa, K., and Ragupathia, G. (2015). Anticonvulsant and anxiolyic activities of ethyl acetate fraction of Cassia fistula Linn. pods in mice. Pharmacogn. Commun. 5: 76–82.

      30 Kapoor, L.D. (2000). Handbook of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants: Herbal Reference Library. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

      31 Kashiwada, Y., Toshika, K., Chen, R. et al. (1996). Tannins and related compounds. XCIII. Occurrence of enantiomeric proanthocyanidins in the Leguminosae plants, Cassia fistula L.; Cassia Javanica L. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 38: 888–893.

      32 Khan, N.A. and Srivastava, A. (2009). Antifungal activity of bioactive triterpenoid saponin from the seeds of Cassia angustifolia. Nat. Prod. Res. 23: 1128–1133.

      33 Khan, M.R., Kihira, M., and Omoloso, A.D. (2001). Antimicrobial activity of Cassia alata. Fitoterapia 75: 561–564.

      34 Kirtikar, K.R. and Basu, B.D. (1975a). Indian Medicinal Plants, vol. III, 856. Allahabad: Lalit Mohan Basu.

      35 Kirtikar,