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DOI: 10.4172/2167-0412.1000e155
Medicinal & Aromatic Plants
nts
ISSN: 2167-0412

Editorial
Research Article OpenAccess
Open Access

Hemidesmus indicus: A Rich Source of Herbal Medicine

Sabyasachi Chatterjee*, Aparna Banerjee and Indrani Chandra
Department of Biotechnology, The University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan-713104, West Bengal, India

Abstract
Herbal medicines vary in a large range; from traditional medicines of ancient times to present day standardized
herbal extracts. Herbal medicine is used for primary health care by about 80% of world population. In 1991, World
Health Organization developed guidelines for assessment of herbal medicines. Different archaeological evidences
indicate that medicinal plants are used approximately five thousand years ago. Whether it is Mesopotamians,
Egyptians or China dynasty; Indian ancient Ayurveda too carries the evidences of use of herbal medicines 5000
BC. Hemidesmus indicus – Anantamool, is a plant species of Apocynaceae family commonly found in India,
specially in different areas of West Bengal. It is a slender, laticiferous, semi-erect endangered shrub; specifically
known for its immense medicinal values; for example-anticancerous, antiarthritic, antimicrobial, antiulcer,
antivenom, antileprotic, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, wound healing activity etc. Its immense medicinal
values can bring H. indicus as a royal source of herbal medicine in India.

Keywords: Herbal medicines; Ancient ayurveda; Medicinal plants; from root, leave, fruit, bark and seed parts of plant. In some cases,
Hemidesmus indicus; Medicinal properties alcohol was used as a narcotic for patients undergoing operation [4].

Introduction Present day scenario and importance of herbal medicines

Herbal Medicines use different alkaloids of medicinal plants for Herbal medicine is used for primary health care by about 80%
prevention and treatment of disease. It varies in large range; from of world total population. In 1991, WHO developed guidelines for
traditional medicines of ancient times to present day standardized assessment of herbal medicines. The turnover of herbal medicines in
herbal drugs. In the age of clinical medicines, main blockage to use India as classical formulations and home remedies of Ayurveda, Unani
clinical drugs is drug resistance. So, multidrug resistance somehow and Siddha medicine system; is about $1 billion with a meagre export
hampers random use of clinical medicines anymore; putting forward of about $80 million. Psyllium seeds and husk, castor oil and opium
more use of herbal medicine. Use of herbal medicine is cheaper for its extract alone account for 60% of total exports. Two of the ten most
easy availability. Modern day medicine already accepted herbalism as widely selling herbal medicines in developed countries, namely Allium
a form of alternative medicine. Clinical medicines however use many sativum and Aloe barbadensis are both available in India. India is one
plant-derived metabolites in pharmaceutical drugs, for example- opium, of the 12 mega biodiversity nation having two of the 18 biodiversity
aspirin, digitalis, quinine etc; but scope of using herbal medicine is ‘hotspots’- the eastern Himalaya and the Western Ghats, over 45,000
more extended as it consists of many more unexplored herbs, minerals, plant species of which 4900 are endemic to the country, 23,000 fungi,
fungal and algal products. 2500 algae, 1600 lichens, 1800 bryophytes and 16 different agroclimatic
zones [5]. The future medicinal system solely depends on alternative
History of herbal medicines medicine, specifically plant-derived herbal medicines; as it is less toxic
Different archaeological evidences indicate use of medicinal and having fewer side effects. Common medicinal plants that are
used hugely, are- Hemidesmus indicus, Zingiber officinale, Rauvolfia
plants approximately five thousand years ago. Mesopotamians in
serpentina, Swertia chirayita, Cassia angustifolia, Acorus calamus,
3100 BC listed many plants for their medicinal uses. Also in ancient
Adhatoda vasica, Aconitum species, Picrorhiza kurroa, Colchicum
Egypt, herbs are mentioned in  Egyptian medical papyri, where on
luteum, Rheum emodi etc. In traditional systems of medicine, the
rare occasions medical jars found containing trace amounts of herbs
drugs are primarily dispensed as water or ethanolic extract. Fresh
[1]. The earliest known Greek  herbal medicines were those of Diocles
plant parts, juice or crude powder are also available. Thus medicinal
of Carystus, written during 3rd century BC and one more by Krateuas
plant parts should be authentic and free from harmful materials like
in 1st century BC [2]. Seeds were likely to be used as herbal medicines;
pesticides, heavy metals, microbial or radioactive contamination. The
have been found in archaeological sites of Bronze Age China of Shang
bioactive extract should be standardized on the basis of active principle
Dynasty [3]. More than hundred of 224 drugs mentioned in Huangdi
Neijing, an early Chinese medical book, were herbs. Ayurveda is
traditional medicine system of Hindu Vedic tradition. The samhita of
the Atharvaveda itself contains 114 hymns about magical cure of diseases. *Corresponding author: Sabyasachi Chatterjee, Department of Biotechnology, The
Origin of Ayurveda has been traced back to 5,000 BC, originating as an University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan-713104, West Bengal, India, Tel: +91-
9474786086; E-mail: [email protected]
oral tradition and later as medical texts. There are two principal early
texts on ayurveda: the Charaka Samhita and the  Sushruta Samhita. Received October 21, 2014; Accepted October 23, 2014; Published October 25,
Underwood & Rhodes (2008) mentioned early phase of traditional 2014

Indian medicine identified “fever, cough, diarrhea, tumours, and skin Citation: Chatterjee S, Banerjee A, Chandra I (2014) Hemidesmus indicus: A
diseases (including  leprosy)”[4]. Plastic surgery,  couching  (a form of Rich Source of Herbal Medicine. Med Aromat Plants 3: e155. doi: 10.4172/2167-
0412.1000e155
cataract surgery), puncturing to release fluids in abdomen, treatment
of anal fistulas, treating fractures, amputations, cesarean sections and Copyright: © 2014 Chatterjee S, et al. This is an open-access article distributed
under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
stitching of wounds were known [4]. Ayurveda points use of plant- unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the
based medicines and treatments. Plant-based medicines are derived original author and source are credited.

Med Aromat Plants

ISSN: 2167-0412 MAP, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 4 • 1000e155
Citation: Chatterjee S, Banerjee A, Chandra I (2014) Hemidesmus indicus: A Rich Source of Herbal Medicine. Med Aromat Plants 3: e155. doi:
10.4172/2167-0412.1000e155

Page 2 of 3

or major compounds along with fingerprints. The next important step Antileprotic activity
is stabilization of the bioactive extract with a minimum shelf-life of over
a year. The stabilized bioactive extract should undergo regulatory or H. indicus root aqueous extract was orally administered at 2%
limited safety studies in animals. concentration in mice. Mice were infected with Mycobacterium leprae
and observed that cutaneous hypersensitivity stimulation was delayed.
Hemidesmus indicus, as a Medicinal Plant It also had immunomodulatory and immunosuppressant activities.
Phogocytosis was too decreased [11].
H. indicus – Anantamool, is a plant species of Apocynaceae family
commonly found in India, specially in different areas of West Bengal. Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity
It is a slender, laticiferous, semi-erect endangered shrub; specifically
Doxorubicin (Dox) is an anthracycline antibiotic widely used in
known for its immense medicinal values.
treatment of cancers including hematological malignancies, many
Antiarthritic activity carcinomas and soft tissue sarcomas. However, the clinical use is
restricted due to its toxicities to cardiac tissues. The Dox-induced
H. indicus root has protective activity against arthritis and the cardiotoxicity is shown to be mediated by lipid peroxidation, free
activity is might be attributed by presence of terpens, sterols and radical formation, mitochondrial damage and decreased activity of
phenolic compounds in hydroalcoholic root extract, as well as in ethyl Na+–K+ ATPase. Antioxidant enzymes-SOD, CAT and GPx, as well
acetate fraction [6]. as GSH levels in heart tissue decreased drastically after doxorubicin
Anticancerous activity injection. H. indicus root extract, due to its antioxidant properties
significantly reduced the oxidative stress and thereby toxicity induced
Methanolic root extract of H. indicus have remarkable anticancer by doxorubicin. 70% methanolic extract of H. indicus root, which
potentials against MCF7 Brest cancer cell line, cytotoxic effect contains large amounts of flavonoids and phenolic compounds, exhibits
against HT29 colon cancer cell line and Ehrlich Ascites Tumor too high antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. It also chelates
[7-9]. Moreover, it significantly enhanced antitumor activity of three iron and has reducing power. These in vitro assays indicate that the
commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs- methotrexate, 6-thioguanine, extract contains constituents that can be a significant source of natural
cytarabine [7]. antioxidant [12].
Antimicrobial activity Antivenom activity
H. indicus is traditionally used in Indian folklore medicine H. indicus root extracts effectively neutralized Viper venom induced
for treatment of various bacterial and fungal infections. H.indicus lethal, haemorrhagic, coagulant, anticoagulant and inflammatory
showed Maximum zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, activity. Lupeol acetate isolated from H. indicus root extract significantly
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Chloroform extract neutralizes lethality, haemorrhage, defibrinogenation, and edema;
of H.indicus showed promising activity against clinical isolates of induced by Daboia russellii venom. It also neutralized Naja kaouthia
Helicobacter pylori. 95% ethanolic extract and aqueous extract both were venom induced cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity and respiratory issues in
shown to be effective against Corynebacterium diptheriae, Diplococcus experimental models [13]. Methoxy benzoic acid of H. indicus root
pneumoniae, Streptococcus viridans, and Streptococcus pyogenes. It particularly has antivenom potential.
was found that acetone, ethyl acetate and methanol fraction of H.
Hepatoprotective activity
indicus demonstrated high activity against ESβL (Extended spectrum
β-lactamase) producing multidrug resistant enteric bacteria. The Oral administration of 50% ethanolic H. indicus root extract
chloroform and 95% ethanol extracts of H. indicus showed antifungal significantly prevented rifampicin and isoniazid induced hepatotoxicity
activity against Aspergillus niger too. Clinical trials of “RENALKA” [14]. CCl4 and paracetamol induced hepatic damage can be cured upto
syrup [containing extracts of Tribulus terrestris, Crataeva magna, H. an extent too by H. indicus root extract. Biochemical parameters, like-
indicus, Cyperus rotundus, Vetiveria zizanoides, Asparagus racemosus Alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, SGPT were found to be in normal range
and Elletaria cardamomum and Trikatu] is done for effectiveness in only after oral administration [14].
curing and relieving Urinary Tract Infection symptoms. The drug was
Nootropic Effect
found to be safe and effective against E. coli, Bacillus sp, Proteus sp.,
Klebsiella sp. and Pseudomonas sp. [8]. n-butanol fraction of ethanolic root extract of H. indicus
significantly improved learning power and memory at mice. Hence, H.
Antidiarrhoeal activity indicus proved to be a useful memory restorative agent in treatment of
H. indicus methanolic extract elicited significant antidiarrhoeal dementia seen in the Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative
activity than standard drugs. It was found that H. indicus aqueous disorders [15].
extract increase water absorption and Na+-K+ from jejunam [9]. Wound healing activity
Anti-inflammatory effect Leaves of H. indicus possess marked wound healing activity and
It is found that ethyl acetate extract of H. indicus root shows much play a promising role in treatment of wounds, especially chronic
anti-inflammatory effect in acute and subacute inflammation. Oral wounds of diabetic and cancer patients. Alcoholic H. indicus root
administration of H. indicus root extract blocked both neurogenic and extract, formulated as 5% and 10% ointment increase rate of wound
inflammatory pains. Comparative studies on anti-inflammatory activity contraction and period of epithelisation [16].
of H. indicus are also done in carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema.
Conclusion
The ethanolic extracts of roots exhibited significant anti-inflammatory
activity at a dose of 350 mg/kg p.o. as compared to control [10]. In India, more than 70% of total population use herbal drugs for

Med Aromat Plants

ISSN: 2167-0412 MAP, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 4 • 1000e155
Citation: Chatterjee S, Banerjee A, Chandra I (2014) Hemidesmus indicus: A Rich Source of Herbal Medicine. Med Aromat Plants 3: e155. doi:
10.4172/2167-0412.1000e155

Page 3 of 3

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measurements can establish alternative medicine- herbal drugs in a
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better future scenario.
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Med Aromat Plants

ISSN: 2167-0412 MAP, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 4 • 1000e155