International Journal of Indigenous Medicinal Plants, ISSN:2051-4263, Vol.1, Issue.1 1 Critical Review on Pharmacological Properties of Heliotropium Meenakshi Priyadarshni Ritika Kumari L.N.Shukla Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, University Department of Botany, University Department of Botany, University Department of Botany, B.R.A.Bihar University, B.R.A.Bihar University, B.R.A.Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, INDIA Muzaffarpur, Bihar, INDIA Muzaffarpur, Bihar, INDIA Email: Email: Email: meenakshi.botany111@gmail.com ritikasingh1909@gmail.com lnshukla.botany@gmail.com ABSTRACT The plant is named due to shape of its inflorescence .The flowers are open while the older flowers at the base of botanical name of the plant is Heliotropium indicum L., inflorescence have produced the seeds. belongs to the family Boraginaceae. It is herbaceous plant of great medicinal value. Almost entire plant is used for 2. ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY the treatment of different diseases such as to cure boils, From the survey of literature and with the discussion of throat infections, insect stings, ulcers etc. Flowers are the older people in the tribals belts, it is observed that H. abortifacient in large doses and emmenagogue in small indicum has been used in different Traditional and folklore dosage. It is also used as antifertility agent. Leaves system of medicine to cure verity of diseases. The tribal of decoction is used in fever, gonorrhoea, localised north Bihar used this plant to cure skin diseases, poison inflammations, pharyngodynia, rheumatism, ringworms, bites, stomachae and for abortion. It was further informed wounds etc. The juice extracted from leaves, on by the tribal that they also use this to cure malaria, application cure wound sores, gumboils and pimples on abdominal pain and skin diseases. From the literature it is the face .Leaves boiled with castor oil is applied to stings noted that tribals in Jamaica use decoction of entire plants of scorpion, insects and reptiles .It is also used to cure for the treatment of fever, venereal diseases, sore throat different disease of eyes .Decoction of roots are stringent, through oral uptake. They also apply it externally in aphrodisiac, expectorant and febrifuge. The plant is vaginal cavity to induce abortion in female. Similarly, it is reported to be highly valued folklore medicine and is administered externally to treat local sores in the useful in the treatment of malaria, abdominal pain, fever, rectum( Asprey and Thornturn, 1955 and Togola et.al., dermatitis, venereal disease, menstrual disorder and sore 2005). The tribal females used decoction of the flowers throat. Major constituents of H. indicum are pyrrolizidine orally for the treatment of menorrhoea in Jamaica. alkaloid, indicine-N-oxide, tannins, saponins, heliotrenin, Similarly in phillipines and Senegal, the decoction of the lupeol, rapnone, estradiol, echinatine, heleurine, plant is used oraly as diuretic and for the treatment of lasiocarpine, indicine, retronicine, cynoglossine, supinine. kidney stones ( Quicumbing, 1951 and Berhault, Root contains estradiol and seed contains heliotrine as 1974)..Some tribals use the decoction of the entire plant important chemical constituents. for treating herpes and the paste of fresh plant is used Keywords-Abortifacient, Alkaloid, Chemical Ingredient, externally for the dressing of wounds. The decoction of Heliotropium indicum L., Wound healing, stem is used orally by females for treating dysmenorrhoea (Gurip et. al., 2000). The decoction of leaves and young 1. INTRODUCTION shoots are used to treat nettle-rash. The juice of the leaves H. indicum the common name for which is Hathisura due is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Dodehe et. al., 2011, to its shape of the inflorescence belongs to the family reported that n-butanol fraction of H.indicum was very Boraginaceae which means borage leaves i.e. very rough efficacious in the treatment of wounds. When highest and hairy. Entire plant is hairy.Here, the flowers are found doses of extract was used, the wound contracted to turns towards the sun.Perhaps due to this the word progressively compared with the control. Therefore, they Heliotropium was formed from heliotrope, which is concluded that n-butanol extract of H.indicum have got derived from the greek word Helios means sun and tropin profound wound healing activity. This suggested that means tropium i.e. to turn.Most of the plant of the family extract stimulated cellular proliferation and migration. In are annual herbs. They are found growing abundantly the Phillipines, decoction of dried roots is used as during summer on the road side or on the waste land as emmenagogue. Similarly, the skin diseases are cured with weeds. The plant body is much branched with deep green, the fresh paste prepared from the plant. Decoction of rough leaves, which are simple, alternate, 4.5-8 cm long. leaves is used for washing of cuts and wounds as well as The margin is undulate sparsely strigose along nerves on for the treatment of cholera. Juice of leaves is used for either side. The veins are conspicuous on the lower side. facial acne and wounds. Sap of leaves is mixed with salt is Generally flowering is from April to July, the flowers are used for clearing vision. It is also used for ear and skin white and the fruits are nutlets. It is noted that the younger infections. Decoction of leaves and flowers is used as © RECENT SCIENCE PUBLICATIONS ARCHIVES |January 2014|$25.00 | 27703229| *This article is authorized for use only by Recent Science Journal Authors, Subscribers and Partnering Institutions*  International Journal of Indigenous Medicinal Plants, ISSN:2051-4263, Vol.1, Issue.1 2 gargle for sore throat and tonsillitis. The leaf juice is given to infants for cough and colds. 3. PHYTOCHEMISTRY Keeping the idea of medicinal value of H.indicum in mind and its application in indigenous system of medicine different workers has worked for the identification of various chemicals in the plants. The n-butanol fractions obtained by Dodehe et. al., 2011, contains Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (Fig-1), indicine-N-Oxide(Fig-2),tannin (Fig-3), saponin and heliotrine(Fig-4) .Similarly Das and Abdullah,2013 reported that the plant H.indicum is very rich in pyrrolizidine alkaloids .Other alkaloids reported in the entire plant include heliotrine, lasiocarpine(Fig- 5) (Pandey et. al., , 1996) , 1,2- acetyle indicine, indicine(Fig-6) (Mattocks,1967) , retronicine(Fig-7), trachelanthamide(Fig-8) (Birecta et. al., , 1983) . The aerial parts contain echinatine (Fig-9), heleurine(Fig-10), lasiocarpine-N-Oxide(Fig-11), supinine(Fig-12), heliotrine, (Mattocks et. al., 1967 and 1961, Hoque et. al., 1976). From the seeds cynoglossine, europine-N-Oxide (Fig-13), heleurine-N-Oxide (Fig-14), heliotridine-N- Oxide (Fig-15), heliotrine-N-Oxide has been reported by Willaman et. al.,,1961 and Pandey et. al.,1982. In addition to the above chemicals other alkaloids such as putrescine (Fig-16),spermidine (Fig-17), homospermidine (Fig- 18),spermine (Fig-19), supinidine(Fig-20) ( in trace) have been identified in the leaves by Birecka et. al.,1984. Triterpenes and steroids have been also reported as β- amyrin (Fig-21), lupeol(Fig- 22)( Pandey et. al., ,1996) chalinasterol(Fig-23),β-sitosterol(Fig-24), stigmasterol(Fig-25) and campesterol(Fig-26) have been reported from the plant by Andhiwal et.al., 1985. Helindicine (Fig-27) a new pyrrolizidine a new alkaloid and lycopsamine (Fig-28) have been isolated from the roots. NMR and HREIMS established first time the structure of isolated lactone pyrrolizidine alkaloid from Heliotropium (Souza JSN, 2005). With the help of gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMHs) aldehydes occurred in the highest amount represented by phenylacetaldehyde i.e. 22.2% and in another experiment volatile oil has been also extracted.It contains phytol,1-dodecanol(Fig-29) and β- linalool (Fig- 30) (Theeraphan et. al., ,2006). © RECENT SCIENCE PUBLICATIONS ARCHIVES |January 2014|$25.00 | 27703229| *This article is authorized for use only by Recent Science Journal Authors, Subscribers and Partnering Institutions*  International Journal of Indigenous Medicinal Plants, ISSN:2051-4263, Vol.1, Issue.1 3 © RECENT SCIENCE PUBLICATIONS ARCHIVES |January 2014|$25.00 | 27703229| *This article is authorized for use only by Recent Science Journal Authors, Subscribers and Partnering Institutions*  International Journal of Indigenous Medicinal Plants, ISSN:2051-4263, Vol.1, Issue.1 4 © RECENT SCIENCE PUBLICATIONS ARCHIVES |January 2014|$25.00 | 27703229| *This article is authorized for use only by Recent Science Journal Authors, Subscribers and Partnering Institutions*  International Journal of Indigenous Medicinal Plants, ISSN:2051-4263, Vol.1, Issue.1 5 © RECENT SCIENCE PUBLICATIONS ARCHIVES |January 2014|$25.00 | 27703229| *This article is authorized for use only by Recent Science Journal Authors, Subscribers and Partnering Institutions*  International Journal of Indigenous Medicinal Plants, ISSN:2051-4263, Vol.1, Issue.1 6 spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P.mirabilis, Bacillus subtilis and E.coli. . Oluwatoyin et. al., 2011 reported that methanol extract of leaves extract of H.indicum was active against Streptomonas aureus, S.pyogenes, S. pneumonia, K.pneumonia, E.coli and Shigella dysentriae respectively. Andhiwal and Has, 1985 reported antifertility activity of petroleum ether extract of the plant of H. indicum. Similarly when n-hexane and benzene fraction of ethanol extract of H.indicum were studied for antifertility activity methods, the sperm motality was also observed in vitro using different concentrations of extract.Sawadi,2009, concluded that H.indicum possesses promising abortifacient activity and moderate effect on implantation and sperm motility. The antitumor activity of H.indicum has been reported by Kugelman et.al., 1976, and Perdue, 1982.These workers obtained the active principle as N-oxide of the alkaloid, indicine. Ohnuma et.al., 1982 observed the impact of indicine –N-oxide for the treatment of leukemia and tumours. However, Cook et. al., 1982, Letendre et. al., , 1984, and Winton and Mac Que,1986 , reported severe toxic side effects after applications of indicine –N-oxide and therefore, its therapy was not justified. Roeder and Wiedenfeld, reported that most of the alkaloids found in H.indicum are hapatoxic and therefore, internal use of the extract of the above plant should not be recommended. Adelaza et. al., 2006 &2008 reported that aqueous extract of H.indicum possesses gastroprotective effects. On the basis of the fact that the aqueous extract of the dried leaves of the H.indicum after administration had important impact on indomethacine induced gastric ulcers. Baros et. al.,,1970, and Vierra ,1968, reported that aqueous and ethanol extract of the roots of the H.indicum possesses strong uterine stimulant effect in case of rats. They further reported that 95% ethanol extract of the root revealed smooth muscle relaxant activity when tested on rabbit duodenum and Guinea pig ileum. It was further noted that the contraction was extract dose dependent which was similar to the acetylcholine, methylcholine, carbamylecholine, nicotine, histamine and oxytocin used on the smooth muscle preparation studies. The H.indicum extract activity in the experiment explains as to why it relieved abdominal pain, hypertension impotence and sexual weakness (Koffuor et. al., ,2012). The aqueous and ethanol extract of H.indicum reveals analgesic activity when the extract was administered for 14th day orally to 4. PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES the rats. The pathological effect was observed on the heart, kidney, liver and lungs. It was therefore concluded that the Different workers have reported that alcoholic or aqueous aqueous and ethanol extract could have cumulative toxic extract of H.indicum has wound healing and analgesic effects, hence, prolonged and continuous use is not activity (Meher et. al.,2011, Dash and advised( Boye et. al., ,2012) . The antimicrobial effect of Murthy,2011,Dodehe et. al., ,2011) .In addition to the extract of aerial parts has been also confirmed. These above wound healing activity, the volatile oil extracted effects may be due to the presence of different alkaloids, from the aerial parts revealed activity against flavonoids, glycosides, steroids, cumarine etc. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The anti – tuberculosis alcoholic extract of H.indicum was found to be activity has been reported by Theeraphan et. al.,2006, who antimicrobial and 100 µg /ml concentration was significant used 20.8 µg /ml to obtain significant impact. The with respect to inhibition of growth. This confirms the antifungal activity have been reported by Singh et. al., importance of the plants used by the tribals to cure 1994, from the aqueous extract of fresh leaves. The infectious diseases ( Rao et. al., ,2002). Ashok et. al., , methanol extract work against bacteria viz. Klebsiella © RECENT SCIENCE PUBLICATIONS ARCHIVES |January 2014|$25.00 | 27703229| *This article is authorized for use only by Recent Science Journal Authors, Subscribers and Partnering Institutions*  International Journal of Indigenous Medicinal Plants, ISSN:2051-4263, Vol.1, Issue.1 7 2009 , reported immunostimulant effect of aqueous [1] G. K. Dash and M. S. Abdullah: A review on extract of dried leaves of H.indicum . They noted an Heliotropium indicum (Boraginaceae)IJPSR, increase in in vitro phagocytic index and lymphocyte 2013; Vol. 4(4): 1253-1258. viability. They also observed increased antibody [2] Adelaja AA, Ayoola MD, Otulana JO, Akinola production in rats and delayed type of hypersensitivity in OB, Olayiwola A and Ejiwunmi AB: mice. They concluded that the results were dose dependent Morphological gastroprotective effects of and immunostimulant effect was probably due to the Heliotropium indicum on gastric ulcerated alkaloid content or due to the synergistic effect of all the mucosa. Pak J Pathol.2006; 17(2): 60-64. active ingredient of the plants. Pandey et. al.,,1982, reported that the extract of H.indicum killed 56% of the [3] Adelaja AA, Ayoola MD, Otulana JO, Akinola young larvae of insect but did not affect the mature one. OB, Olayiwola A and Ejiwunmi AB: Evaluation Extract of root is used for the treatment of night blindness of the Histo-gastroprotective and antimicrobial by the tribals ( Ghani, 1998). activities of Heliotropium indicumLinn. (Boraginaceae). Malaysian J Med Sci. 2008; 5. CONCLUSION 15(3): 22-30. H.indicum has been used by the tribals to cure different [4] Andhiwal CK, Has C and Varshney RP: Chemical disease such as high fevers, abdominal pains, insect stings, and Pharmacological studies of Heliotropium throat infections, gonorrhoea, skin diseases such as indicum. Indian Drugs 1985; 22(11): 567-569. ringworm and wound etc. The inflorescence and flowers are abortifacient in large doses. It is also used to cure [5] Andhiwal CK, Has C and Varshney RP: Chemical rheumatism and eye diseases. Some tribals use this plant and Pharmacological studies of Heliotropium to cure malaria venereal diseases, menstrual disorder. It is indicum. Indian Drugs 1985; 22(11): 567-569. also used to cure the gum and in tonsillitis. Recent [6] Ashoka M, Shasty CS, Sridevi K, Gopkumar P researches that includes phytochemical analysis of the (2009). Stimulation of Immune Function Activity dried roots and leaves , in vitro test for antitumor, anti of the Extract of Heliotropium indicum Leaves. microbial, antifungal, antifertility, uterine stimulation, Internet J. Pharmacol., 7: 1. wound healing etc explains the activity of the plant parts used by the tribals. The various alkaloids, steroids [7] Ashutosh Meher,Bikash Kumar Nanda, Anuj ,terpenoids all confirms its use as a drug .The different Kumar Agrahari, Amiya Ranjan Pradhan, Pramod effects may be correlated with the synergistic impact of Kumar Debta: A Study on the Analgesic activity active ingredients of the plants. It is used in Ayurvedic of H.indicum L.stem,IJPRD,2011;Vol 3(10),(1-4) medicines for the treatment of different diseases .The use [8] Asprey GF and Thornton P: Medicinal plants of of the plant in Ayurveda and Siddha has been described in Jamaica, Part-III. West Indian Med J 1955; 4(4): Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-I, Volume-VI, 69-82. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Govt. of India, 2008.This neglected plant bears tremendous properties i.e., [9] Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Vol. IV, Govt. being exploited for the use of preparation of various of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ayurvedic Medicines. Due to the above applications of the Indian System of Medicine & Homeopathy, The plant in Ayurvedic medicines, the plants are harvested controller of Publication Civil Lines, Delhi, 2001, brutally by the greedy traders and labours of the Vaidya. 66 This is posing a threat on the survival of the plants in the [10] Barros GSG, Matos FJA, Vieira JEV, Sousa MP natural habitat. It needs conservation and popularization and Medeiros MC: Pharmacological screening of for its importance among the local people who can protect some Brazillian plants. 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