115 p a g e international standard serial number (issn .... rpa1516234015.pdf116 | p a g e...

115 | P a g e International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2319-8141

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International Journal of Universal Pharmacy and Bio Sciences 4(4): July-August 2015

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UNIVERSAL

PHARMACY AND BIO SCIENCES IMPACT FACTOR 2.093***

ICV 5.13***

Pharmaceutical Sciences REVIEW ARTICLE……!!!

REVIEW ON THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF CICER ARIETINUM

Kamini Kalia*, Yash Prashar

1, Narinder Singh Gill

2, Indu Dhiman

1

Department of Pharmacology, Rayat Institute of Pharmacy, Railmajra, SBS Nagar, Punjab

India. 1Department of Pharmacology, Rayat Institute of Pharmacy, Railmajra, SBS Nagar, Punjab

India. 2Department of Pharmaceutical chemistry, Rayat Institute of Pharmacy, Railmajra, SBS Nagar,

Punjab India

KEYWORDS:

Cicer arietinum, nutritional

value, pharmacological

activities, traditional uses,

HPLC.

For Correspondence:

Kamini Kalia*

Address:

Department of Pharmacology,

Rayat Institute of Pharmacy,

Railmajra, SBS Nagar, Punjab

India.

ABSTRACT

Cicer arietinum belonging to family Fabaceae is rich in nutritionally

important unsaturated fatty acids like linoleic and oleic acid. β-

sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol are important sterols. Cicer

arietinum has been proved for various pharmacological activities like

antidiabetic and hypolipidaemic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and

antiproliferative, anti inflammatory, antioxidant and antimutagenic, anti-

diuretic and nephrolithiatic, ameliorative activity, aphrodisiac activities.

Cicer arietinum containing isoflavones are diphenolic secondary

metabolites that may lower the incidence of heart disease. Cicer

arietinum has higher amount of resistant starch and amylase that result

in lowering the Glycemic index (GI) that is important aspect to reduce

the incidence and severity of type II diabetes.



INTRODUCTION:

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) is one of the most important grain-legume crops in the world,

belonging to the family Fabaceae. Chickpeas contain high levels of proteins (17 - 25%), and

carbohydrates; they also supply some minerals (Ca, Mg, Zn, K, Fe, P) and vitamins like thiamine

and niacin as well as unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linolenic). Chickpea contain a wide range of

phenolic compounds, which could be considered as bioactive compounds due to their antioxidant

capacity1. Chickpeas contain isoflavones such as biochanin in free forms (Biochanin A and B)

and those linked to other compounds (Biochanin glucoside). The content of isoflavones

represents the highest percentage of identified phenolics2,3

. Several biological activities have

been associated with isoflavones, including a reduction in osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease,

prevention of cancer and the treatment of menopause symptoms4,5,6

. Chickpea, like other legume

seeds, must be processed before consumption. It is consumed parched, fried, roasted, boiled, as

snack food, sweet and condiments seeds are ground and the flour can be used as soup, dhal, and

to make bread7 Cooking procedures improve the flavor and palatability of the food product and

increase its protein digestibility and nutritional bioavailability8,9

. However, they also decrease

the levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of the grains, as it has been shown for

several seed legumes, including kabuli-type chickpea line. It contains 75% fibres and low fat

protein. It has been reported that the use of Cicer arietinum helps in diabetes and cardiovascular

diseases and in some cancers.

Introduction to plant profile

Figure. 1. Cicer arietinum seeds and plant

TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom - Plantae, Genera - Angiosperms, Order - Fabales, Family - Fabaceae, Genus - Cicer,

Species - C. arietinum10



VERNACULAR NAMES

In English - Chickpea, Bengal gram, Hindi - Chana, Manipuri - Chana, Marathi - Harbhara,

Tamil - Katalai, Telugu - Harimandhakam, Sanagalu, Kannada - Kadale, Bengali - Boot, Urdu -

Chana, Gujarati - Chania, Sanskrit - Jivana, Chanakah10

TRADITIONAL USES

It is used in Fever, dysmenorrhoea, increase biliary secretion, in dysentery as astringent,

dyspepsia, vomiting, indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea, snake bite, in bronchial catarrh, cancer,

depression, infertility11

DISTRIBUTION

Cicer arietinum is one of the important pulse crop of the world cultivated over an area of 12.0

million hectares with a production of about 9.2 million tons of grain (1999). The important gram

growing countries are India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Burma and Turkey. India ranks first in the world

in respect of production as well as acreage followed by Pakistan. It is the most important pulse

crop of India occupying an area of 6.3 million hectares with production of 5.1 million tones. The

average yield of chick pea is only 806 kg per hectare. The major chick pea production areas are

situated in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Punjab12

DESCRIPTION

Macroscopic characters

The plant Cicer arietinum has a strong taproot system with 3 or 4 rows of lateral roots. The

parenchymatous tissues of the root are rich in starch. All the peripheral tissues disappear at plant

maturity, and are substituted by a layer of cork. The roots grow 1.5-2.0 m deep. Cicer roots bear

rhizobium nodules. They are of the carotenoid type, branched with laterally flattened

ramifications, sometimes forming a fank like lobe. The outer surface is brownish in colour,

rough with longitudinal wrinkles and wood part is light yellow in colour, hard and woody.

Fracture is hard and short. The drug has slight characteristic taste and odour13

Microscopic characters

Transverse section: A single layer of epidermis, which consists of small tangentially elongated

rectangular cells with brownish thick outer wall and band of cortex which consists of 9 to 10

rows of big parenchymatous cells with intercellular spaces. The inner part of cortex contains

scattered groups of lignified fibres. Stellar region shows secondary growth. The Vascular bundle

comprises of xylem and phloem. The secondary phloem consists of phloem fibres and each



phloem bundle is surrounded by a parenchymatous sheath containing calcium oxalate and starch

grains. Medullary rays pass through both phloem and xylem. The secondary xylem was more

developed and consists of vessel, tracheids, fibres and pitted parenchyma.

Primary xylem was distinct on the inner side of the secondary xylem. The Medullary rays are

uni-seriate or multi-seriate parenchymatous cells, narrow in the xylem region and wider in the

phloem region. Medullary rays in the phloem region are non-lignified whereas lignified in the

xylem region and starch grains are present in few cells. Cambium consists of 2 to3 rows of small

irregular thin-walled cells present above the secondary xylem and Pith consists of few rounds to

oval thin walled parenchymatous cells13

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Lipids are present in low amounts but Cicer arietinum is rich in nutritionally important

unsaturated fatty acids like linoleic and oleic acid. β-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol are

important sterols present in Cicer arietinum oil. Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and especially

potassium are also present in Cicer arietinum seeds. Cicer arietinum is a good source of

important vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, folate and the vitamin A precursor, β-

carotene. Cicer arietinum containing isoflavones are diphenolic secondary metabolites that may

lower the incidence of heart disease due to (i) inhibition of LDL-C oxidation (ii) inhibition of

proliferation of aortic smooth muscle cells (iii) maintenance of physical properties of arterial

walls. Cicer arietinum has higher amount of resistant starch and amylase that result in lowering

the Glycemic index (GI). Lowering the Glycemic index is an important aspect in reducing both

the incidence and severity of type II diabetes14

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING

Thin layer chromatography

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was performed using silica gel 60G 20 × 20cm plates, layer

thickness 250 μm (Merck KgaA, Darmstadt, Germany). The solvent system used was butanol:

water: acetic acid, 12:2:1 v/v/v (lower phase). Plates were sprayed with p-anisaldehyde: acetic

acid: sulfuric acid (1:2:100 v/v/v) and heated for 10 min at 110 ◦C to visualize saponins, or with

sulfuric acid in ethanol (10:90 v/v) and heated as above to visualize all substances. This report

stated the feasibility and ease of MAE (microwave assisted extraction) for the isolation of a

Cicer arietinum saponin. Results show that saponins constitute 25 mg per gram of the seed dry



weight, and that the major portion of these saponins is a 2,3-dihydro-2,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-

4H-pyran-4-one ( DDMP)-conjugated saponin with antifungal properties15

High performance liquid chromatography

HPLC stated that the main phenolic constituents of Cicer arietinum are the 7-0-glucoside 6”-

malonates of the isoflavones formononetin and biochanin A. Cicer arietinum plant are also

known to contain the isoflavones daidzein, genistein and pratensein, together with the 7-0-

glucosides of formononetin and biochanin A. Upon infection with phytopathogenic fungi the

accumulation of the phytoalexins medicarpin and maackiain has also been observed in Cicer

arietinum. Both the isoflavones and the phytoalexins are of interest owing to their oestrogenic

and antifungal properties16

O

OO

HO

CH3Formononetin

O

O

HO

OH

OH

O

Pratensein

O

O

H

H

O

HO

Medicarpin

O

O

HO

OHDaidzein

O

O

O

O

H

H

OH

Maackiain

O

O

HO

OCH3

OH

Biochanin A

O

O

HO

OHOH

Genistein

Figure 2: Chemical structure of some phytochemical constituents present in Cicer arietinum

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENT

Chemical constituents present in seeds of Cicer arietinum is flavonoids, phenols, tannins,

carbohydrates, saponins, sterols, alkaloids and coumarins17



Table 1

Phytochemical screening of various extracts of Cicer arietinum18

Phytochemical Test Solvents

Hexane Chloroform Ethyl acetate Ether Aqueous

Phytosterols

Fixed oils and fats

Alkaloids

Carbohydrates

Proteins and amino acids

Phenols and tannins

Flavonoids

Glycosides

+

+

+

-

-

+

+

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

+

-

+

-

-

-

-

+

+

-

-

-

+

+

-

+

+

-

-

-

+

+

+

+

+

-

(+) present; (-) absent

Different carbohydrates are available (mono and disaccharides), which are enzymatically

digested in the small intestine. The total carbohydrate content in Cicer arietinum is higher than

pulses. Cicer arietinum has (i) monosaccharides- ribose, glucose, galactose and fructose (ii)

disaccharides- sucrose, maltose19

and reported Cicer arietinum a monosaccharide concentration

for galactose (0.05 g 100-g), ribose (0.11 g 100-g), fructose (0.25 g 100-g) and glucose (0.7 g

100-g). Maltose (0.6%) and sucrose (1-2%) was reported to be the most abundant free

disaccharides in Cicer arietinum20

The amino acid profiles of Cicer arietinum seeds had 1.10 g 16-g N of methionine and cystine.

Cicer arietinum composed of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; ~ 66%), monounsaturated fatty

acids (~19%) and ~ 15% saturated fatty acids. Major saturated fatty acid found in Cicer

arietinum was palmitic acid and unsaturated fatty acids i.e oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. The

protein fraction i.e albumins, legumins were present. Albumin contents estimated to be 18.55%.

Cicer arietinum contained 13.28 µmol/g phytate contents, polyphenols contents 4.72 mg/g,

tannins contents was 5.63 mg/g and saponins content in Cicer arietinum was 0.44%21



TOXICITY:

The toxicity study with the ethanolic extract of seeds of Cicer arietinum L. did not show any

toxic effects in adult albino rats. No death was observed upto the i.p administration of extract

dose concentration 2000mg/kg body weight during the 14 days of study period17

PHARMACOLOGICAL USES

The seeds of Cicer arietinum has been proved for various pharmacological activities like

antidiabetic and hypolipidaemic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and antiproliferative, anti

inflammatory, antioxidant and antimutagenic, anti-diuretic and nephrolithiatic, ameliorative

activity, aphrodisiac activities.

Antidiabetic and hypolipidaemic activity

The aqueous and methanolic extracts of Cicer arietinum seeds showed antidiabetic and

hypolipidaemic effects in hyperglycemic (type-II) and in diabetic rats. Aqueous extract of dose

400mg/kg showed significant glucose reduction. The methnolic extract of dose 400mg/kg,

reduced blood triglyceride level. Among the extracts the methanolic extract was more potent and

more significant than aqueous extract22

Antiviral activity

Seeds extracts of Cicer arietinum showed the good antiviral activity against both of DNA

(Herpes simplex virus-1; 32 – 4 µg ml-1

) and RNA (Parainfluenza-3; 32 – 16 µg ml-1

) viruses

compared among to the seed, fruit skin, and aerial part. It was the first report showing that Cicer

arietinum seed extracts possesses significant antiviral activity both of DNA (32 - 4 μg ml-1) and

RNA (32 -16 μg ml-1) viruses compared to the fruit skin and aerial part extracts as well as the

controls 23

Antibacterial activity

Aerial part of Cicer arietinum containing three isofalvones biochanin A, formononetin and

genistein has antibacterial potential which was tested against the five strains of gram negative

(Pseudomonas syringae pv Tomato, P. fluorescence, Vibrio fluvialis, Serratia rubidaea and

Erwinia cartovora) and three strains of gram positive (Bacillus pumlus, B. Sphaericus, and

Brevibacterium otitidis) bacteria by using different extracts (ethanol, chloroform, and ethyl

acetate) from the aerial part of Cicer arietinum. Biochanin A, formononetin, and genistein

showed significant antibacterial activity against P. syringae (phytopathogenic bacteria) and



Vibrio fluvialis (human pathogenic bacteria). The three extracts showed higher antibacterial

activity against Gram negative than Gram positive bacteria. 24

Antifungal and Antiproliferative activity

Cicer arietinum has antifungal proteins C 25 which was tested using agar diffusion method

against human pathogenic fungi of ATCC strains and against Candida krusei, Candida

tropicalis, and Candida parapsilosis, varied from 1.56 to 12.5𝜇g/ml. It also reduced the cell

proliferation of human oral carcinoma cells at the concentration of 37.5𝜇g/ml (IC50) and no

toxic effect was found on normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells even at higher

concentration of 600 𝜇g/mL. It was reported that C-25 can be considered as an effective

antimyotic as well as antiproliferative agent against human oral cancer cells25

Anti-inflammatory activity

The methanolic and ethanolic extracts of Cicer arietinum seeds at different doses has anti

inflammatory effect against carrageenan and histamine induced paw edema in rats. In acute toxicity

studies, no mortality was observed even at highest dose of 2 g/kg, p.o. It was found that the

methanolic and ethanolic seeds extract exhibited significant inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 with

subsequent inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis that are involved in pain sensation. At dose of 500mg/kg

it gives the anti inflammatory response26

Antioxidant & Antimutagenic activity

Cicer arietinum has antioxidant and antimutagenic activity. The antioxidant activity was

evaluated by using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay and Antimutagenic

activity (AMA) of ground sample extracts was tested against 1-Nitropyrene (1-NP) with the kado

microsuspension assay using salmonella typhimurium strain TA9827

Anti-diuretic and Nephrolithiatic activity

The ethanolic seeds extract of Cicer arietinum has Anti-diuretic and Anti-nephrolithiatic activity

which was tested on albino rats. The activity was studied by using ethylene glycol induced

nephrolithiasis models. Two test doses of Cicer arietinum were used that is 250mg/kg/p.o and

500mg/kg/p.o. Total duration of evaluation was 28days. Results concluded the decrease of

urinary stones in the kidney and showed good diuretic activity17

Ameliorative activity

Cicer arietinum extract is one of the most important legume and Coelatura aegyptiaca shell

powder as calcium source is effective against osteoporosis. The study revealed that Cicer



arietinum extract decline the body weight gain induced by ovariectomy (OVX). It was also

proved that extract of Cicer arietinum improve femur and tibial weights changed by ovariectomy

(OVX)28

Aphrodisiac activity

The methanolic extract of Cicer arietinum has aphrodisiac effect which was tested on male

albino rats. Sexual behavior parameters like mount frequency (MF), intromission frequency (IF),

ejaculation frequency (EF), ejaculation latency (EL), mounts latency (ML) and intromission

latency (IL) were observed. The male serum cholesterol level and testosterone concentrations

were also recorded29

CONCLUSION:

Seeds of Cicer arietinum has a great medicinal value. Various vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B5, B6

and vitamin A and nutrients like Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and especially potassium are

also present makes it a neutraceutical plant. Cicer arietinum has wide range of pharmacological

activity. Cicer arietinum containing isoflavones may lower the incidence of heart disease. Cicer

arietinum has higher amount of resistant starch and amylase that result in lowering the Glycemic

index (GI). Lowering the Glycemic index is an important aspect in reducing both the incidence

and severity of type II diabetes. The present review is about all the pharmacological activities

and on chemical constituents.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The author wish to thank the guide Mr. Yash Prashar (HOD), Rayat Institute of Pharmacy,

Railmajra, Ropar, Punab, India. The work is supported by Rayat Institute of Pharmacy,

Railmajra, Ropar, Punjab, India.

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