Review article
PHARMACOLOGY OF CELOSIA ARGENTEA L.
Ramesh B. Nidavani*, Mahalakshmi AM, Seema M, Krishna KL
Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS University, Sri Shivarathreeshwara Nagar, Mysore-570 015, India.
Received on: 22-01-2014 Revised on: 06-02-2014 Accepted on: 23–02–2014 ABSTRACT:
Celosia argentea L. (family-amaranthaceae) is widely used in traditional medicine to cure several disorders such as fever, diarrhea, mouth sores, itching, wounds, jaundice, gonorrhea, and inflammation. A variety of phytoconstituents are isolated from the C. argentea L. which includes triterpenoid saponins, celosin E, celosin F and celosin G together with a known compound cristatain, betalains, nicotinic acid, celogenamide-A, celogentin A–D, H, J and K. The plant having potential pharmacological values screened for its various pharmacological activities, namely, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, wound healing, antidiabetic and antibacterial activities which are reported in the extracts of different parts and its phytoconstituents of this plant. An overview and details of the pharmacological investigations on the C.argentea L. is presented in this review.
KEY WORDS: Celosia argentea. L, Celosin, ethnomedicinal plant, ethnopharmacology
INTRODUCTION:
Human beings have been aware of medicinal plants as long ago as 3,000 BC [1]. Virtually every indigenous culture in the world uses medicinal plants in some form or other for treatment of ailments. The actual knowledge of medicinal plants is possessed by a select group of practitioners, who determine the nature of the ailments and then prescribe remedies. Although indigenous cultures possess a holistic view of ailments and their cure, medicinal plants do form a major part of indigenous medicinal or traditional medicinal practices. Since the advent of modern or allopathic medicine, traditional medicine lost quite a bit of ground, being determined to be somewhat similar to superstitious beliefs or even quackery by allopathic doctors. * Corresponding author
Ramesh B. Nidavani,
However, in recent periods, traditional medicine has made a major come-back. It has been realized that a number of important modern pharmaceuticals have been derived from, or are plants used by indigenous people [2]
. A number of modern drugs like aspirin, atropine, ephedrine, digoxin, morphine, quinine, reserpine, tubocurarine and artimisinin, are examples, which were originally discovered through observations of traditional cure methods of indigenous peoples [3].
The Indian sub-continent comprising of the countries India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh form one of the richest sources of traditional medicinal practices in the whole world. Overall, the alternative medicinal systems of India uses more than 7500 plant species. The various traditional medicinal systems practiced in the above countries are the well known homeopathic, Ayurvedic, Unani, and the Siddha systems of medicine with their well-defined formulations and selection of medicinal plants. Phytochemicals are used as templates for lead optimization programs, which are intended to make safe and effective drugs [4]. In the developed countries, 25% of the medicinal drugs are based on plants and their derivatives. Medicinal plants are the major components of all indigenous or alternative systems of medicine. Medicinal plants are sources and can be a good start for the discovery of new chemical compound [5,6].
The Celosia species is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants belonging to Amaranthacea. The generic name is derived from the Greek word kelos, meaning "burned," and refers to the flame-like flower heads. The flowers of the species are commonly known as wool-flowers, brain celosia or cockscombs, if the flower heads are crested by fasciation, it is called as Velvet and traditional uses [9]. It is commonly named as semen celosiae, celosia, silver cock’s comb, cock’s comb, quail grass, woolflower in English. In India locally it is named as sitivara, vitunnaka, sunishannaka (Sanskrit), indivara, survali, safed murga (Hindi), annesoppu, and kanne hoo (Kannada) [10]. Genetic diversity of 16 varieties of C. argentea L. and 6 varieties of Celosia cristata L. was investigated in China using sequence-related amplified polymorphism [11]. There are more than seventy different species are for food is geographically much more limited. It is common in West Africa, from Sierra Leone to Nigeria. It is also available in Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, other parts of East Africa, Mexico and Central Africa. In the rainforest zone of Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, and Togo it is cultivated as vegetable. The wild form (sometimes referred to as C. chopped and used as feed for chickens and as forage for cattle [13].
few branches, at least until it approaches the time for flowering. The leaves are alternate entire or rarely lobed, light green. They are typically 2x6 cm, although those on flowering shoots are slightly longer. Even the green foliage may contain large amounts of betalain pigments. The often brilliantly colored flowers are borne in dense heads. Most occur in spikes, and stand like spears in the garden bed. But certain cultivated forms have compact or feathery clusters due to fasciation. The flowers yield large numbers of seeds in black colour and are about 1 mm in diameter. The flowers blooms from late summer through late fall [6,13,14,].
TRADITIONAL USES:
The whole plant is known for its usage in the treatment of diarrhea, piles, bleeding nose, inflammation, haematological, gynaecologic disorders and also as disinfectant [15]. In India, the plant is well known for treatment of mouth sores, blood diseases and used as an aphrodisiac [16,17,18]. The seed paste is used to cure ovarian and uterine diseases [19,20]. In Indian folk medicine, it is widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus [21]. In China, plant is well known for cold, gastrointestinal diseases, rheumatoid arthritis [22] and as fertility regulating agent [23]. The traditional Yao communities of China use the stem, leaf, flower and seed of C. argentea L. for the treatment of hemorrhoids, leucorrhea, and profuse uterine bleeding [24]. In USA, midwifery, rural Honduras practice C. argentea L. for encouraging lactation and its decoction for hemorrhage [25]. In Riau province, Sumatra (Indonesia) antibacterial assay of extracts of 114 species were tested and C. argentea L. was found to have activity against cough and jaundice [26]. In Vietnam, this plant is used as hemostatic herb [27]. In screening of Taiwanese crude flower extract of C. argentea L. was found antibacterial effect against Streptococcus mutants [28], and
also flowers of the plant are used against snakebite [29]. The leaves and flowers are used as edible and are grown for such use in Africa and Southeast Asia [30].
PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY:
In the recent years, the use of herbal products has been increasing in developing countries. Plants have always been an attractive source of drugs. On the other hand, intricate ways of molecular interactions and bioactivity mechanisms of the extracts or their bioactive constituents provide a challenge to the scientists [31]. The C. argentea L. displays a wide range of pharmacological activities with correlate to mechanistic possibilities over respective disorders and ephemeral overview of its pharmacological activities, has been presented in Table 3.
CONCLUSION:
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Tables:
Table 1: Taxonomy of C. argentea L.
Kingdom Plantae
Super division Spermatophyte
Division Magnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Order Carypphyllales
Family Amaranthaceae
Genus Celosia
Species Argentia
Table 2:The morphological features of C. argentea L.[6,13] Part Macroscopic features
Leaves Alternate, linear to lanceolate, entire and to 5cm long
Flowers Small, in dense erect spikes up to 8 cm long, white to purple, without petals
Fruits Membranaceous, utricles, seeds shining black and about 1.5 mm in diameter
Table 3: Summary of Pharmacological activities of C. argentea L.
Seeds Celosian Chemical and
immunological liver injury model (in-vivo
and in-vitro)
Acts as immunostimulating; Celosian is induced production of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, NO
Study suggests that suppression of IgE antibody in certain allergic disorders [33].
Anti-cancer activity Seeds Triterpenoid
saponins: celosin E, celosin F, celosin G, and cristatain
In-vitro methods Suggested for further study [34].
Antimetastatic activity
Seeds intraportal injection of
colon 26-L5 carcinoma cells model
Anti-metastatic effect is based on its immunomodulating effect due to induction of cytokines such as IL-12, IL-2 and IFN-gamma leading to a Th1 dominant immune state and activating macrophages to the tumoricidal state [35].
Anti-inflammatory activity
Leaves Ethanolic extract: flavonoid fraction
Carrageenan induced rat paw edema acute inflammatory & cotton pellet induced chronic inflammatory methods
Flavonoids are responsible for anti-inflammatory activity
[36]
Seeds Triterpenoid saponins: celosin E, celosin F, celosin G, and cristatain
in-vitro
anti-inflammatory screening models
Suggested for further study [34]
Hepatoprotective activity
Seeds Ethanolic extract Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatic
damage in rats
Significant reduction in lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and an elevation in antioxidant defense parameters [37]. in bovine erythrocytes method
All extracts showed membrane stabilizing capacity in supports by plants antioxidant property [38].
Antioxidant activity Aerial
parts, Seeds, Root
Total phenols In-vitro antioxidant
methods
Suppressing free radicles possibly due to abundant
All extracts showed antioxidant property [38].
Leaves Aqueous extract In-vitro ammonium
thiocyanate, reducing power, and membrane stabilizing models
The antioxidant activity of extract may be due to phenolic and flavonoid components of the extract [40].
Leaves Aqueous extract In-vivo by cadmium
(Cd)- induced oxidative stress in Wistar rats
The antioxidant activity of extract may be due to phenolic and flavonoid components of the extract [40].
Leaves Glycosides: citrusin C, indicant, (3Z)-
hexenyl-1-O-(6-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-
β-glucupyranoside,
In-vitro DPPH method Not showed antioxidant property by glycosides of C. argentea L.
[41]
(3Z)-hexenyl-1-O-
Growth activity Leaves Glycosides: citrusin
C, indicant,
(3Z)-Compounds with sugar moiety (glucose) tend to have growth promoting activity whereas those without sugar moiety may have growth inhibitory activity
[41]
.
Antibacterial activity Leaves Ethanolic extract Disc-diffusion and MIC
method by using
pathogenic bacteria namely strains of E. coli, Staphylococcus,
Klebsiella,
Pseudomonas,
Streptococcus, Shigella,
Salmonella, and Vibrio
Suggested further study for elucidating antibacterial molecule from C. argentea L.
[42]
.
Leaves Ethanolic extract; tannin & alkaloids against Salmonella typhi,
50mg/ml against Escherichia coli and 100mg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus[43]
Leaves Ethanolic extract
-- Suggested for further study
[44]
Diuretic activity Seeds Ethanolic extract On albino rats and
human volunteers
Suggested for further study [44]
Antifungal activity Leaves Ethanolic extract;
tannin & alkaloids
metagophyte, M. furfur
by agar-well diffusion assays
Not showed any MIC [43]
Wound healing
activity
Leaves Ethanolic extract Rat burn wound model Mitogenic and motogenic promotion of dermal fibroblasts
[45,46]
Anti-diabetic activity Root Ethanolic extract Hypoglycaeimic action
in streptozotocin
induced diabetic rats
Suggests that, extract may possess as insulin-like effect on peripheral tissuesby either promotingglucose uptake or metabolism [47].
Seeds Ethanolic extract Hypoglycaeimic action in alloxan-induced diabetic rats
Suggested for further study [48].
Antimitotic activity Seeds Moroidin- a bicyclic
peptide
Microtubule assembly assay
Inhibits the polymerization of tubulin [49].
Seeds Celogentins D,E,F,G, H and J- bicyclic peptides
Microtubule assembly assay
Seeds Celogentins A, B and C- bicyclic peptides
Microtubule assembly assay
Inhibits the polymerization of tubulin [51].
Anti-diarrheal activity
Leaves Ethanolic extract Castor oil induced, Charcoal meal test and PGE2 induced diarrhea methods
Study suggests that, the antidiarrheal effect may be by reduction of gastrointestinal motility by tannins and flavonoids [52].
Skin Depigmentation Leaves Eugenyl O-β
-D-glucopyranoside (citrusin C)
External application method
Citrusin C showed strong tyrosinase inhibitory activity [53].
Anti-urolithiatic activity
Roots Methonolic extract Ethylene glycol induced urolithiasis Wister rat model
The extract having anti-urolithiatic effect [54].
C.argentea L., Celosia argentea L.; TNF-alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha; IL-1 beta, interleukin-1 beta; NO, nitric oxide; IFN-gamma, gamma interferon; Thinterleukin-1, T-helper cell interleukin-1; DPPH, interleukin-1,interleukin-1-diphenyl- 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl; MIC, minimum inhibitory concentration; A. flavus, Aspergillus flavus; E. coli, Escherichia coli; P. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; S. typhi, Salmonella typhi; S. aureus, Staphylococcus aureus; C. albicans, Candida albicans, T. metagophyte, Trichophyton metagophyte; M. furfur, Malassezia furfur; and PGE2, Prostaglandin E2.
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