Acanthus illicifolius: A Novel Gregarious Phytomedicine from

Marine Source

Presented by: Jyoti B. Sharma

Guided by: Mr. Imtiyaz Ansari

Oriental College of Pharmacy, SAnpada

Introduction• For a long period of time in history, plants have been valuable and

indispensable sources of natural products for the health of human beings and they have a great potential for producing new drugs.

• Even today people who live near to the forests use plant products to cure chronic diseases.

• Tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world are bestowed with abundant flora and herbs which have untapped properties, such as antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal.

• According to the World Health Organization, plants are a source of compounds that have the ability to combat disease, antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal activities.

• In addition, medicinal plants have been used for centuries as remedies for human ailments and diseases because they contain components of therapeutic value.

• Also they are less toxic to humans and environmentally friendly due to less pollutants produced in production and have minimal health hazards.

• A number of mangroves and associates contain substances which show biological activities such as antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties.

• One is the best species is Acanthus illicifolius (Acanthaceae).• This species of mangrove plants are a rich source of steroids,

triterpenes, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins. Thus has received considerable attention due to its wide range of secondary metabolites.

Flower bisexual, typically zygomorphic, complete, erect, sessile, hypogynous. Fruit 1 cm green and 2.5 - 2.0 cm long, kidney shaped 4 seed drupe, Seed 0.5 -

1.0 cm long

Leaf simple, opposite, decussate, cauline, exstipulate, petiole

short, flattened, glabrous, pulvinous to

sheathing base.

color dark green when fresh, yellowish-brown

on drying. Odor indistinct, taste bitter.

•Rheumatism, •Neuralgia and•Poison arrow wounds

Malaysia

•Alopecia•Urolithiasis.•Boils

Malay

•nervin tonic, expectorant, and stimulant•useful in paralysis, rheumatism and neuralgia.India

Thailand

Traditional Medicinal Uses

•used to treat colds and dermatitis.•as an antiseptic, relieves pain and purifies the blood.

Phytochemistry•Alkaloid-Acanthicifoline (ethanolic extract)

Powdered plant material

•2- benzoxazolinone (aqueous extract)•Pentacyclic triterpenoids and sterols (chloroform extract)•Methylapigenin (ethanolic extract)

Leaves

•Triterpinoid saponin (ethanolic extract)

Root

Acanthus ilicifolius

Alkaloids

Flavanoids

GlycosidesSteroids

Tannins Terpenoids

Steroid

• Liebermann’s reaction: About 1 ml of extract was taken in a fresh clean test tube. To this 1 ml of acetic acid was added. This solution was heated and cooled. Then few drops of conc. sulphuric acid were added along the sides of the test tube. Blue colour was observed. This confirmed the presence of sterols.

Tannins

• Ferric chloride solution test: Little quantity of extract was taken in a test tube. To this, 2ml ethanol was added and mixed well followed by the addition of 1ml of 5% ferric chloride reagent. Deep blue colour was observed which inferred the presence of tannins.

• Lead acetate test: 2ml of extract was taken in a test tube followed by the addition of alcohol and shaken well. To this 2 ml lead acetate was added, precipitate formed which inferred the presence of tannins.

Terpinods

• Salkowski reaction: 2ml of extract was taken in a test tube. To this 2ml of chloroform was added. Then 2ml of conc. Sulphuric acid was added along the sides of the test tube slowly and shaken well. Greenish yellow fluorescence was appeared. This confirmed as the presence of terpenoids.

Flavonoids

• Shinoda test: Little quatity of extract was taken in a test tube. To this, 5ml 95% ethanol was added followed by the addition of 2ml conc. HCl along the sides of the test tube slowly. Then 0.5g magnesium turnings were added. Appearance of pink colour confirmed the presence of flavonoids.

• Lead acetate test: Small quantity of residue was taken in a test tube to which lead acetate solution was added. Yellow colour precipitate formed which inferred the presence of flavonoids.

Alkaloids

• Dragendroff’s reaction: 2 to 3 ml of filtrate was taken in a fresh test tube. To this few drops of dragendroff’s reagent was added. Orange brown precipitate was observed. This inferred the presence of alkaloids.

• Mayer’s test: 2 to 3 ml of filtrate was taken in a test tube followed by the addition of Mayer’s reagent. A white precipitate was formed which confirmed the presence of alkaloids.

Glycoside

• Keller killani test: 0.5 ml of alcoholic extract is subjected to 1 ml glacial acetic acid containing traces of ferric acid and 1 ml conc. sulfuric acid and observed formation of reddish brown color at the junction of two layer and upper layer turned bluish green in presence of glycoside.

Anti-ulcer activityAnti-fungal activity

Anti

oxidant activity

Anti-ulcer activity and Anti-fungal activity•The anti-ulcer activity of methanolic extracts of A. ilicifolius leaves (MEAI) was investigated in pylorus ligation and ethanol-induced in rats. MEAI at doses of 100, 20 mg/kg body weight produced significant inhibition of gastric lesions induced by pylorus ligation and ethanol. The extract showed significant reduction in the gastric volume, free acidity, and ulcer index as compared to control. This suggests leaf methanolic extracts were found to possess anti-ulcerogenic as well as ulcer healing properties, which might be due to anti-secretary activity.•Lesions included maximum granulomatous inflammation of lung, multifocal diffused necrotic granulomas on kidney and moderate microgranulomas on liver when infected with Aspergillus fumigatus conidia. From this study, it was concluded that chloroform extract of Acanthus ilicifolius contains active principles act as anti-fungal activity that absorbed after oral administration to produce systemic effects when given at 500 mg/kg dose.

Anti oxidant activity•It was found that the alcoholic extract of A.ilicifolius leaves inhibited the formation of oxygen derivative free radicals and gives significant endogenous antioxidant activity

Osteoblastic activity and Anti-leishmanial activity•2-Benzoxazolinone (BOA) isolated from the leaves revealed in vitro anti-leishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani. No mortality was observed in mice when BOA was administered (i.p.) in the doses ranging from 0.25-1 g/kg. The LC50 value for BOA was found to be 40 μg/ml and compared well with pentamidine.•A coumaric acid derivative called acancifoliuside was isolated from the methanolic extract of the leaves. Its effects were tested on the functions of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. It increased the growth and differentiation of osteoblasts significantly, indicating that A. ilicifolius leaves may help to prevent osteoporosis.

Anti-cancer Activity•Both alcoholic and ethanolic extract shows satisfactory effect against cancer.•Ethyl acetate extract of the whole plant showed significant anti-cancer activity.

Anti-microbial Activity• Mangroves are widely used by mangrove dwellers for bush medicine e.g. A. illicifolius is used for skin disorders, boils and wounds.•Many mangroves shown anti-microbial activity specially Acanthus spices but A. illicifolius have less anti-microbial activity.•100 g of young leaf were sequentially extracted with 300 ml chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol and water in Soxhlet extractor•Alcoholic preparartion shows analgesic and little anti-microbial activity.

Anti-inflammatory Activity•The extract decreased protein exudation and leukocyte migration in the peritoneal fluid, thereby indicating its effectiveness towards inhibiting peritoneal inflammation•It also produced significant inhibition of cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 and lipooxygenase activity.•Thus exhibiting significant anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced edema in rats.

Anti-diabetic Activity•The ethanolic extracts of the Acanthus ilicifolius root (200mg/kg and 400mg/kg) exhibited significant anti-diabetic activity by showing improvement in regeneration of β cells of pancreas

Acanthus ilicifolius will produce the healthy tea drink

or called “Mangrove Tea”.

Mangroves apple marketed product

ConclusionAcanthus ilicifolius (Acanthaceae) has received considerable attention due to its wide range of secondary metabolites and its traditional usage in Indian and Chinese system of medicine. The common names of Acanthus ilicifolius are Eng. Holy leaved acanthus, Hind. Harkukanta, Mar. Marandi, Mandli, Tam. Attumulli, Kaludaimulli. A gregarious shrub, found commonly in the east and west coasts, also found in Meghalaya and the Andamans. This plant is reported to be a mangrove. Mangroves are the only trees that are capable of thriving in salt water. Mangroves are biochemically unique, producing a wide array of novel natural products. Hence, these plants are considered to be rich sources of steroids, triterpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins. Traditionally, the plant has been used for dyspepsia, paralysis, asthsma, headache, skin diseases and also used in Ayurvedic medicine for rheumatic complaints. Recent developments in phytochemical and pharmacological studies explore the used of these plants like anti-cancer activity, anti-diabetic activity, anti-inflammatory activity etc. The review will be a good reference tool for investigators who wish to work on natural compounds with free radical scavenging activity to combat diseases associated with stress.

Reference• Amritpal Singh, Sanjiv Duggal and Ashish Suttee; Acanthus ilicifolius

Linn. - Lesser Known Medicinal Plants with Significant Pharmacological Activities.

• Dharya Singh and Vidhu Aeri;J Pharm Bioallied Sci; Phytochemical and pharmacological activites of Acanthus ilicifolius-mangrove; 2013 Jan-Mar; 5(1): 17–20.

• Nizamuddin Basha, Chitta Suresh, Danamma B, Mohd Dada, Abdul Maajid; Evaluation of Anti-ulcer activity in the methanol extract of Acanthus ilicifolius leaves in experimental rat.

• B Dhorajiya, M Malani, B Dholakiya; Extraction and Preservation Protocol of Anti-Cancer Agents from Marine World; Accepted: October 22, 2011; Published: May 3, 2012; bhavesh.orgchem@gmail.com