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INDEX – GJRMI - Volume 6, Issue 9, September 2017 INDIGENOUS MEDICINE Ayurveda- Kaya Chikitsa – Review THERAPEUTIC EVALUATION OF QUASSIA AMARA LINN. - A CRITICAL REVIEW Remya E1*, Mandip Goyal
109–113
COVER PAGE PHOTOGRAPHY: DR. HARI VENKATESH K R, PLANT ID – TWIG OF VITEX NEGUNDO L.* OF THE FAMILY LAMIACEAE PLACE – OFF KANAKAPURA ROAD, BANGALORE, KARNATAKA, INDIA *BOTANICAL NAME VALIDATED FROM www.theplantlist.org AS ON 30/08/2017
Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 6, Issue 9 | September 2017 | 109–113 ISSN 2277-4289│ www.gjrmi.com │International, Peer reviewed, Open access, Monthly online Journal
Review Article THERAPEUTIC EVALUATION OF QUASSIA AMARA LINN. - A CRITICAL REVIEW Remya E1*, Mandip Goyal2 PhD Scholar, Dept. of Kayachikitsa, IPGT & RA, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar – 361008., Gujarat, India 2 Associate Professor, Dept. of Kayachikitsa, IPGT & RA, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar – 361008., Gujarat, India *Corresponding author : drremyaenair@gmail.com; Mobile : +91-9447378133 1
Received: 09/08/2017; Revised: 15/09/2017; Accepted: 23/09/2017
ABSTRACT Quassia amara Linn., famous as bitterwood or quassia, is a neotropical forest shrub indigenous to Northern Brazil. Indian Quassia, mostly seen in northern and eastern states, is a source of numerous compounds including b–carbonile, cantin-6 alkaloids and primarily, the bitter compounds known as quassinoids. Purpose of the present study was to review the pharmacological and clinical profile of Quassia critically. Pharmacologically, Quassia bark wood extracts (QaE) provide an excellent preventive effect in gastric ulcer models at low dose with no toxicity. QaE effectively normalized diabetes and associated hyperlipidaemia in nicotinamide–streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Intraperitoneal administration of QaE has shown sedative, muscle relaxant and psycho-mimetic activities, which is not reversible by Naloxone. Significant anti-malarial activity and reversible anti-fertility action of QaE had been proven in rats. In a clinico-experimental trial, Ankush gunjal et al., concluded that Quassia is a promising drug for Type 2 Diabetes mellitus and associated hyperlipidaemia and can be included under the umbrella of Prameha-hara Dravya. It is need of hour to look into eco friendly, cost effective, toxicity free herbal medicines like Quassia and to develop a framework to include these drugs to enrich Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia after proper scientific evaluation. Key words: Quassia amara, Anukta Dravya, Prameha, Type II Diabetes Mellitus
Cite this article: Remya E, Mandip Goyal (2017), THERAPEUTIC EVALUATION OF QUASSIA AMARA LINN. - A CRITICAL REVIEW, Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med., Volume 6 (9): 109–113
Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||
Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 6, Issue 9 | September 2017 | 109–113
INTRODUCTION Tremendous expansion of health issues and treatment expenses have resulted in a paradigm shift of global interest from conventional medical science to Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 21st century. This is evident from the change in health policies of individual nations which outreached to the development of Traditional Medicine Policy by WHO. In developing countries like India, usage of medicinal plants in healthcare practices is relatively high (WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002–2005). Red listed important medicinal plants species of India are 195 which contain certain drugs used in folk or traditional systems other than Ayurveda (Nishteshwar K, 2014). It becomes mandatory to search for medicinal plants with optimum therapeutic potentialities. This scenario has made us to
probe into the therapeutic potential of Quassia amara Linn. which can be used in a wide spectrum of maladies, but still unexplored. Quassia amara Linn.is a folklore medicinal plant indigenous to Northern Brazil and this tree is also called Quassia. Indian Quassia (Picrasma quassioides Ben.) has been included in Indian pharmacopeia list 1946 and Indian pharmaceutical codex in 1952. Habitat of Indian Quassia is Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh (Bapalal G Vaidya, 2007). Indian Quassia is having equal medicinal properties as that of Quassia amara Linn. Quassia amara contains quassin, the bitterest substance found in nature. All parts of Quassia are useful including root, bark, stem, heart wood, leaf and flower. Photographs of Quassia amara has been shown in figure 1.
Figure : 1 Photographs of Quassia amara
1a: (Source: www.ipecacostarica.com) The description of plant is avaliable in ‘The Wealth of India’(CSIR)(2003).Sanskrit name of Quassia amara is Jwaraghni, Tikta. This plant has been described in Ingudi Varga (Simaroubaceae family) quoted in Aadarsha Nighantu. Quassia bark in Bengal is used as Bharangi by Vaidya Kaviraj. Quassia is Jwaraghna (Anti-pyretic), Krimighna (Antihelminthic) and also effective in Ajirna (Indigestion) and Agnimandya (Vitiation of digestive fire). Its Basti (Enema) is administered in Sutrakrimi (Threadworm). In a taste
1b: (Source: www.tropical.theferns.info) exploration study conducted by Ankush Gunjal et al. (2015) among 30 healthy volunteers from Ayurvedic fraternity, it was found out that Quassia amara L possesses Tikta Rasa (Bitter taste) with Katu-Kashaya Anurasa. (Pungent – astringent subtaste)
MATERIALS & METHODS An attempt was made to collect available clinical and experimental works on therapeutic profile of Quassia amara L.at different research
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Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 6, Issue 9 | September 2017 | 109–113
centres and supportive data was collected from Ayurvedic compendia, dissertations, research articles & related websites. DISCUSSION Pharmacological studies on Quassia amara Walber Toma et al. (2002) had analyzed the possible antiulcerogenic activities of four extracts of different polarities:70% ethanol (70% EtOH), 100% EtOH, 100% dichloromethane (DCM), and 100% hexane (HEX) obtained from Quassia amara bark. All extracts, administered at doses of 5000 mg/kg orally and 1000 mg/kg intraperitoneally, caused neither toxicity nor death. This shows that even at high doses, the drug does not possess any kind of toxicity & highly safe. Therefore Quassia amara bark extracts can be safely administered in risk groups like children, elder people, pregnant ladies etc. All these extracts significantly inhibited the development of indomethacin/bethanechol induced gastric ulcer and reduced the gastric injury induced by the hypothermic restraint–stress test in mice. In the pylorus ligature of the mouse stomach, 100% Ethanol, DCM and HEX extracts presented decreased gastric juice content, increased pH values and decreased acid output. They also exhibited significant antiulcerogenic activity on HCl–EtOH-induced gastric ulcers in mice at four doses (25, 50, 75, 100 mg/kg, p.o.), All extracts showed significant increase (p<0.05) of free mucous and Prostaglandin synthesis. Quassia amara can be effectively administered in all kinds of gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastro-esophageal reflux disorders, digestive disturbances due to chemo and radio therapy. But it may not be effective in patients who are frequently taking NSAID’s as antiulcerogenic effect was abolished when the animals were pre-treated with indomethacin. The main active compounds are the quassinoids, and the mechanism of this effect is probably related to prostaglandins and mucous synthesis. The fact that low doses obtain the best effects, with no toxicity at a dose of 5000 mg/kg, is crucial, demonstrating the high efficacy and safety of these extracts.
Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats were treated with oral doses of methanol extract of Quassia amara (100 and 200 mg/kg) and Glibenclamide (10mg/kg as standard) for 14 days. Both doses of Quassia amara extract significantly (p<0.01) reduced elevated FBS levels in diabetic rats significantly increased (p<0.05) glucose tolerance in the oral glucose tolerance test. QaE and Glibanclamide effectively normalized dyslipidaemia (Total cholesterol, LDL–C, HDL–C and triglycerides) associated with Streptozotocin induced diabetes (Gulam Muhammed Hussain et al., 2011). Due to anti-diabetic and normo lipidaemic property, Quassia amara can be used as a prophylaxis against diabetes induced complications like stroke, coronary artery disease etc. W. Toma et al. (2003). evaluated the possible anti dematogenic, anti nociceptive and sedative effects of 70% ethanol, 100% ethanol, dichloromethane and hexane Quassia bark wood extracts. Oral administration of these extracts did not show any significant effects. When administered intra – peritoneally, HEX extract showed anti – nociceptive effects on hot plate test and sedative effects on pento - barbital induced sleep. Naloxone did not reverse the anti – nociceptive effect of this extract. Although, the mechanisms are uncertain, these effects are apparently related to sedative, muscle relaxant and psycho-mimetic activities of the HEX extract of the plant. Quassia amara can be recommended as a safe herbal sedative after establishing its efficacy in clinical trials. The crude methanol extract of the stemwood of Quassia amara significantly caused a reduction in the weight of testis, epidydymis and seminal vesicle, but an increase in that of anterior pituitary gland. Epidydymal sperm counts, serum levels of testosterone, LH, FSH were significantly reduced. The basal and LH stimulated testosterone secretion of leydig cells isolated from rats pretreated with the extract was inhibited. These changes seemed to be restored 8 weeks after the withdrawal from extract reatment. Quassin appears to be the anti fertility principle of Quassia amara (Yinusa Raji et al., 1997). Thus Quassia can be added to the set of
Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||
Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 6, Issue 9 | September 2017 | 109–113
Sukra Soshana (Anti- fertility) drugs. Quassia amara Extract showed significant anti malarial activities in the 4 day suppressive in vivo anti malarial assay in mice inoculated with RBC parasitized with Plasmodium bergheiberghei. Quassia leaf hexane extract and methanol extract had exhibited significant suppressive in vivo anti-malarial activity (E Ajayieoba et al., 1999). Ankush Gunjal et al. (2015), studied the effect of heartwood powder of Quassia amara L. in the dose of 390 mg/kg body weight in normal overnight fasted Swiss albino mice. The results concluded that test drug did not lower the blood glucose level below the normal level in normoglycaemics and it did not cause drug induced hypoglycemia in normoglycaemics. RCT conducted by the same investigators studied the effect of Quassia amara Linn. 3 Capsules (500 mg each) twice daily before meals with luke warm water and compared its synergestic action with ongoing modern medication, in type II diabetic patients. Effect of therapy resulted in significant decrease in FBS, PPBS and fasting urine sugar in both groups by the therapy. It was concluded that, Quassia amara Linn. can be added as adjuvant drug with
conventional antidiabetic therapy and can also be used as potential therapy as a single herb in patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION Pharmacologically, Quassia extract is proved to have anti-diabetic, anti-malarial, antiulcerogenic, anti-fertility, anti-nociceptive, sedative, muscle relaxant and psychomimetic properties. On the basis of Rasa and pharmacological trials, it can be concluded that Quassia possess Kapha Pitta Samana (Pacification of Kapha and Pitta), Vishamajwarahara (Anti – pyretic), Shukrasoshana (Anti fertility) and Pramehahara (Anti diabetic) properties. Further pharmacological trials and RCT’s may be warranted to validate the therapeutic profile of Quassia amara Linn. The threat to our nation’s imperiled wildlife is immediate and real. Hence it is need of hour to look into eco friendly, cost effective, toxicity free herbal medicines like Quassia amara Linn and to develop a framework to include these drugs to enrich Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia after proper scientific evaluation.
REFERENCES Ankush Gunjal, Mandip Goyal (2015) , A Clinico-experimental Study on Quassia amara Linn. in Apathyanimittaja Prameha (Type II Diabetes Mellitus), Department of Kayachikitsa, IPGT & RA, Gujarat Ayurved University, Ph D thesis Bapalal G Vaidya (2007) Ingudiyadi varga, Nighantu Aadarsha, Chaukhambha Bharati Academy, Varanasi, vol.1.p.251–257.
E. Ajayieoba, U.I. Abalogu, H. C. Crebs, A M J Oduola (1999) In vivo anti malarial activities of Quassia amara and Quassia undulata plant extracts in mice, Journal of Ethno pharmacology, Volume 67, Issue 3, Pages 321–325 Gulam Muhamed Husain, Paras Nath Sing, Rakesh Kumar Singh, Vikas Nath, (2011) Anti – diabetic activity of standardized extract of Quassiaamara in Nicotinamide Streptozotocin – induced Diabetic rats, Phytotherapy Research, Volume 25 Issue 12
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Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 6, Issue 9 | September 2017 | 109–113
Nishteswar K. (2014) Cultivation, collection and endangered status of medicinal plants – Ancient and modern perspectives: Conservation, cultivation and exploration of therapeutic potential of medicinal plants. New Delhi: CCRAS, Dept. of AYUSH, Govt. of India;. p. 189–218.
Walber toma, Juliano De Souza gracioso,Fábio Donisete Pezzuto De andrade, Clélia Akiko Hiruma-Lima, Wagner Vilegas, Alba Regina Monteiro Souza Brito (2002) Anti ulcerogenic activity of four extracts obtained from the barkwood of Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae), Biol. Pharm. Bull. 25(9) 1151–1155
W toma, J S Gracioso, C A Hiruma-Lima, F D P Andrade, W Vilegas, A R M Souza Brito(2003) Evaluation of the analgesic and anti dematogenic activities of Quassiaamara bark extract, Jornal of Ethno pharmacology, Volume 85, Issue 1, Pages 19–23
Wealth of India, (2003) Raw material, Vol-4, CSIR, NISCHAIR, New Delhi. p.428
Source of Support: NIL
WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002– 2005 (2002) Yinusa Raji, Adeyombo F Bolarinwa (1997) Anti – fertility activity of Quassia amara in male rats – In vivo study, Life sciences, Volume 61, Issue 11,Pages 1067–1074
Conflict of Interest: None Declared
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