ETHNOBOTANYLECTURE

Presented by:Cipriano, Mary Chris S.

Ethnobotany Lecture (BOTA115)M-F/2:00-4:00

Mrs. Bandelaria

Catharanthus roseus“Chichirica”

Taxonomic Description

Kingdom PlantaeDivision Magnoliophyta

Class MagnoliopsidaOrder Gentianales

Family ApocynaceaeGenus Catharanthus

Species C. roseus

Botanical name: Catharanthus roseus

Common name: Rosy/Pink/Madagascar periwinkle (English)Chichirica (Tagalog)

Botanical Description

Chichirica is a fleshy perennial growing to 32 in (80 cm) high. It is an erect, smooth or slightly hairy, simple or slightly branched plant. Stems are somewhat woody. Leaves are oblong, 4 to 7 centimeters long, rounded at tip, pointed at base. Flowers are white, pink, or red, or variegated white and red, 3.5 cm to 5 centimeters across, borne in the axils of the leaves. Calyx-lobes are green and very slender. about 4 millimeters long. Corolla-tube is slender, 2.5 to 3 centimeters long, and pale green; the limb is spreading with obliquely obovate lobes 1.7 to 2.5 centimeters wide. Fruit is a hairy and cylindric follicle, 2 to 3 centimeters long.

Botanical Description

Catharanthus roseus is native to Indian Ocean island of Madagascar. In the wild, it is an endangered plant; the main cause of decline is habitat destruction by slash-and-burn agriculture. It is also however widely cultivated and is naturalized in subtropical and tropical areas of the world. This herb is now common in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including the Philippines.

Folkloric Uses and Preparations

- In the Philippines, decoction of leaves is used to treat diabetes.

- Decoction of young leaves is used for stomach cramps.- Root decoction for intestinal parasitism; as

emmenagogue; may produce abortion.- Infusion of leaves is used for treating menorrhagia. - Crude leaf extract has anticancer activity. - Recent use of roots for anticancer applications. - Roots used for dysentery.

Folkloric Uses and Preparations

- In Madagascar, the bitter and astringent leaves are used as vomitive; roots are used as purgative, vermifuge, depurative, hemostatic and toothache remedy.

- In Orissa, juice of leaves is used as application to wasp stings.- In Mauritius, infusion of leaves is used for indigestion and dyspepsia.- In Ayurveda, it is used for diabetes.- In India, juice of leaves is used for bee stings.- In India, West Indies, and Nigeria, it is used for diabetes.- In Cuba and Jamaica, flower extract is used for eyewash in infants.- In Bahamas, flower decoction is used for asthma.- In Bermuda, it is used for high blood pressure.- In Malaysia, plant decoction is used for diabetes, hypertension, insomnia, and cancer.

- In Indo-China, it is used for dysmenorrhea.

Phytochemical components and their

medicinal uses

Phytochemicals Medicinal Uses

Alkaloids

Hypotension, sedative and possess tranquilizing and anti-cancerous properties, to relieve muscle pain, depression of the central nervous system and wasps stings, nose bleed, bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and sore throats, treatment of the loss ofmemory, hypertension, cystitis, gastritis, enteritis, diarrhea and the raised blood sugar levels, prevention of cancer, cancer treatment, anti-diabetic, stomachic, etc.

Phytochemical components and their

medicinal usesPhytochemicals Medicinal Uses

Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs)

cancer chemotherapy; good source of the non-enzymaticand enzymatic antioxidants; to cure diabetes and high blood pressure

Vinblastine (vincaleukoblastine)

anti-tumor properties; treatment of acute leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease; treatment of diabetes, fever, malaria, throat infections, chest complaints, and regulation of menstrual cycles; used for the treatment of both malignant and non-malignant diseases and in the platelet and platelet associated disordersVincristine

Vinflunine found to interfere with the division of the cancer cells

Ajmalicineused for controlling the high blood pressure and other types of thecardio-vascular disorders

Serpentine

Phytochemical components and their

medicinal usesPhytochemicals Medicinal Uses

Terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs) wound healing, analgesic, vasodilatory and hypoglycemic

Catharanthine found to be effective in leukemia treatment, diabetes,hypertension and menorrhagia, etc.

Vindolineanti-cancerous properties; treatment of various types of lymphoma and leukemia

Reserpine

References:

• Scientific Journal: PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS: A PERSPECTIVE REVIEW, GAJALAKSHMI S, et al. International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences; ISSN 0975-6299

• http://www.itis.gov/• http://stuartxchange.com/Tsitsirika.html• http://www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=

2497• http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-medical-uses-o

f-catharanthus-roseus.htm• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharanthus_roseus• http://conradofontanilla.hubpages.com/hub/Some-Natu

ral-Herbs-to-Remedy-Diabetes• http://www.greenpharmacy.info/article.asp?issn=0973-

8258;year=2008;volume=2;issue=3;spage=176;epage=181;aulast=Goyal