Rasagna, et al. Int J Pharm 2012; 2(3): 542-547
ISSN 2249-1848
International Journal of Pharmacy
Journal Homepage: http://www.pharmascholars.com
Review Article
CODEN: IJPNL6
PHYTOCHEMISTY AND PHARMACOLOGY OF BRYONIA LACINOSA: A REVIEW
*Rasagna Yadavalli, Venu Gopal Y and S.A. Sreenivas
Department of Pharmacology, Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmacy, Ibrahimpatnam, Andhra
Pradesh, India
*Corresponding author e-mail: rasagna59@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Many herbal remidies have been employed in various medical systems for treatment and management of different
diseases. The plant Bryonia lacinosa has been used in different system of traditional medication for the treatment of
diseases and ailments of human beings. Goniothalamin, punicic acid and lipids were previously isolated from the
whole plant of Bryonia laciniosa. From leaves a bitter principle, bryonin, has been reported. Arabinoglucomannan, a
polysaccharide is present in the fruit which is mainly used for anti-microbial activity. It has been reported that the
plant contains anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticonvulsant, anti microbial and cytotoxic properties. The current
study is therefore reviewed to provide requisite phytochemical and pharmacological detail about the plant.
Keywords: Bryonia lacinosa, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Medicinal plants
INTRODUCTION
There exists a plethora of knowledge and information
and benefits of herbal drugs in our ancient literature
of Ayurvedic and Unani medicine. One of the earliest
treatises of Indian medicine, the Charaka Samhita
(1000 B.C.) mentions the use of over 2000 herbs for
medicinal purpose.[1] According to the WHO survey
80% of the populations living in the developing
countries rely almost exclusively on traditional
medicine for their primary health care needs.[2] Plants
continue to serve as possible sources for new drugs
and chemicals derived from various parts of plants.[3]
Exploration of the chemical constituents of the plants
and pharmacological screening may provide us the
basis for developing the leads for development of
novel agents. In addition, herbs have provided us
some of the very important life saving drugs used in
the armamentarium of modern medicine.[4] There is a
worldwide belief that herbal remedies are safer and
less damaging to the human body than synthetic
drugs. Therefore laboratories around the world are
engaged in screening of plants for biological
activities with therapeutics potential. One major
criterion for the selection of plant for such a study is
traditional healer’s claim for its therapeutics
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usefulness. The traditional Indian medicinal system
mentions herbal remedies for the treatment of variety
of diseases.
The ayurveda has emphasized importance of food in
the management of diseases. Even practitioner of
modern system has realized the significance of
dietary items, in the form of nutraceutical elements,
in the treatment of chronic diseases.[5] Bryonia
lacinosa (Family: Cucurbitaceae) is a well known in
India and is one of the most versatile medicinal plants
having a wide spectrum of biological activity.
It is commonly known as Shivlingi, an excellent plant
in the nature having composition of all the essential
constituents that are required for normal and good
health of humans. This plant is a shrub found wildly
in India, Philippines and some parts of Africa. Whole
plant is used to treat adenopathy, ague, asthma,
bronchitis, carbuncles, cholera, colic, consumption,
convulsions, cough, delirium, fertility, headache,
megalospleny, paralysis, phthisis, snake bite.[6]
Traditional healers use the leaves and the seeds of
this plant for treatment of fevers. It is also taken in
impotency and used as a tonic. The leaf extract of this
plant is also used as a cathartic and in
inflammation.[7]
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Rasagna, et al. Int J Pharm 2012; 2(3): 542-547
The present review is dealing with medicinal
importance of the Bryonia lacinosa with reference to
its
Pharmacognosy,
Phytochemistry
and
pharmacological activities.
TAXONOMIC CLASSIFICATION [8]
Domain
: Eukaryota
Kingdom
: Plantae
Subkingdom
: Viridaeplantae
Phylum
: Tracheophyta
Subphylum
: Euphyllophytina
Infraphylum
: Radiatopses
Class
: Magnoliopsida
Subclass
: Rosidae
Superorder
: Violanae
Order
: Cucurbitales
Family
: Cucurbitaceae
Subfamily
: Cucurbitoideae
Tribe
: Benincaseae
Genus
: Bryonia
Species
: laciniosa - L.
Botanical name :Bryonia laciniosa L
BOTANICAL DISCRIPTION AND VERNACULAR NAMES
[9]
Bryonia lacinosa is one of the most valuable drug in
traditional system of medicine from ancient time.
Other synonym of Bryonia lacinosa is Bryonopsis
laciniosa. The genus Bryonia also contains 6 species,
subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars like B.
alba (White
Bryony) · B.
aspera (Turkish
Bryony) · B. cretica (Cret Bryony) · B. cretica
dioica (Cretan Bryony) · B. dioica dioica (Cretan
Bryony) · B. verrucosa(Venenillo).
MORPHOLOGY
Stem is much branched, slender, grooved, Glabrous.
Tendrils are Slender, striate, glabrous. Leaves are
Membraneous, 10-15 cm long and broad, green and
scabrid above, paler and smooth or nearly so beneath.
Deeply cordate at base. 5 lobed, the lobes are oblong,
lanceolate, midrib sometimes subserrate. Petioles are
2.5-7.5 cm long, striate, slender. Male Flowers are
with small fascicles of 3-6, penduncle 5-20 mm long,
filiform, glabrous [Figure 1].
Calyx is glabrous, 205 mm long, teeth subulate.
Corolla is 3-4 mm long, segments ovate, oblong,
acute, pubescent and Female-Solitary or few, or
many peduncles and shorter than male. Fruits are
Subsessile, 1.3 - 205 cm in diameter, globose,
smooth, bluish green, streaked with broad vertical
lines and having seeds with 5-6 mm long, yellowish
brown [Figure 2].[8]
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ETHNOBOTONY
The plant holds an important role in tribal culture and
rituals and also used in many herbal medicinal
practices. It is commonly known as ‘Shivlingi’ and
‘Gargumaru in India, an annual climber with bright
red fruits [Figure 3] and is reported to be highly
medicinal. Locally in India its seeds are being used
for promoting conception in women.[10] Gond and
Bharia tribes of Patalkot valley worship this plant.
According to them, this herb is boon for the childless
parents.
The herbal healers (Bhumkas) prepare certain
combination of herb and prescribe it to the needed
person. Interestingly, Bhumkas in Harra-Ka-Chhar
village in Patalkot prescribe the seeds of this herb for
conceiving male babies. In Gaildubba, traditional
healers make a combination of Shivlingi seeds with
Tulsi (Ocimum basilicum) leaves and mix it in
Jaggery (the traditional unrefined sugar used in India)
and give it to the lady who is not conceiving baby
due to any reason. Shivlingi is a twinner and can be
well identified by its flower/ fruits/ seeds. The foul
and just different sort of smell of the plant is also a
way of identifying it. [11]
PHYTOCHEMISTY
Bryonia lacinosa is being used as trivial medicine
since long in India, but no work has been done except
few fatty acids and sugars are reported to be present
in the Seeds.[12] Due to tremendous medicinal
importance of the seeds, the seed mucilage from B.
lacinosa
was
subjected
to
phytochemical
investigation.[10] The different successive extracts so
obtained
were
subjected
to
preliminary
phytochemical screening by applying different
qualitative testes for phytoconstituents. The different
extracts of Bryonia lacinosa contained, punicic acid,
lipids, Bryonin, polysaccharides like Goniothalamin,
Glucomannan and Arabinoglucomannan
Glucomannan: Extraction of defatted and
decolorized seeds of Bryonia lacinosa with 1%
aqueous acetic acid yielded a polysaccharide
material, having D-glucose and D-mannose in the
molar ratio of 1.00:1.01[Figure 4]. Hydrolysis of the
fully methylated seed gum furnished 2,3,4,6-tetra-Omethyl-D-glucose and 2,3-di-O-methyl-D-mannose
in equimolar ratio. Partial hydrolysis of the
polysaccharide furnished three oligosaccharides
namely;
epigentiobiose,
mannobiose,
and
mannotriose
along
with
the
component
monosaccharides.[10]
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Goniothalamin: Goniothalamin, a natural occurring
styryl-lactone [Figure 5], is a novel compound
present in the whole plant of Bryonia lacinosa with
putative anticancer activities. [13] Ashik Mosaddik M
et al., reported the presence of goniothalamin in
Bryonia lacinosa. They extracted the whole plant
powder (750 g) with methanol in a Soxhlet apparatus.
The MeOH extract was subjected to fractionation
with petroleum ether (50 ml), chloroform (50 ml) and
ethyl acetate (40 ml) successively. From the ethyl
acetate fraction goniothalamin (58 mg) was isolated
by washing with diethyl ether followed by
recrystallization. [14]
Arabinoglucomannan: It is a polysaccharide
material, having d-glucose, d-mannose and larabinose in the molar ratio of. 5.00:3.01:4.00. It is
yielded from the extraction of the pulp of ripe berries
of Bryonia lacinosa with 1% aqueous acetic acid.
Singh et al.,(2009) evaluated the polysaccharide
Arabinoglucomannan for the microbial activity and
was found to be active against Escherichia coli with a
minimum dose of 6.25 mg/mL [15].
PHARMACOLOGY
The plant Bryonia laciniosa LINN is a shrub found
wildly in India, Philippines and some parts of Africa.
Whole plant is used to treat adenopathy, ague,
asthma, bronchitis, carbuncles, cholera, colic,
consumption, convulsions, cough, delirium, fertility,
headache, megalospleny, paralysis, phthisis, snake
bite.[6] Traditional healers use the leaves and the
seeds of this plant for treatment of fevers. It is also
taken in impotency and used as a tonic.
The leaf extract of the plant is also used as a cathartic
and in inflammation. Hot aqueous extract of the roots
and seeds has an effect on conception in barren
women.[7] Roots of this plant with roots of Michelia
champaca is given against asthma and promotes
conception.[9] Locally in India its seeds are being
used for promoting conception in women.[10] From
leaves a bitter principle, bryonin, has been reported
[16].
It has been reported that the extraction of dry ripe
fruit of Bryonia laciniosa with petroleum ether gave
10.2% dark viscous oil. [9]
DIFFERENT
LACINOSA
ACTIVITIES
OF
of gram-negative bacteria like Escherichia coli ,
Salmonella typhimurium , and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa and three strains of gram-positive
bacteria, Bacillus cerues, Staphylococcus aureus and
Micrococcus luteus. The ethanolic extract of leaves
and stem showed direct antimicrobial activity against
all tested microorganism with minimum inhibitory
concentration ranging between 0.625 to 10 mg/ml
and 0.156 to 5 mg/ml, respectively which reveals that
the leaves shows more antimicrobial action than the
stem. [6]
Anti inflammatory activity: Gupta M et al.,(2003)
evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of the
chloroform extract of leaves of Bryonia
laciniosa(CEBL) using carrageenan, dextran,
histamine, serotonin induced rat paw oedema and
cotton pellet induced granuloma (chronic) models in
rats. In mice, carrageenan peritonitis test was
performed for the extract by oral administration. The
CEBL exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effect
at the dose 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Maximum
inhibition (52.4%) was noted at the dose of 200
mg/kg after 3 h of drug treatment in carrageenan
induced paw oedema, whereas the indomethacin
(standard drug) produced 62.1% of inhibition. The
extract exhibited significant anti-inflammatory
activity in dextran induced paw oedema in a dose
dependent manner. The extract also exhibited
significant inhibition on the hind paw oedema in rats
caused by histamine and serotonin respectively. In
the chronic model (cotton pellet induced granuloma)
the CEBL (200 mg/kg) and standard drug showed
decreased formation of granuloma tissue by 50.1 and
57.3% respectively. The extract also inhibited
peritoneal leukocyte migration in mice. [7]
Anti Epileptic activity: Jayarama Reddy et al.,(2010)
evaluated the 70% alcoholic extract of whole plant of
Bryonia Laciniosa on anticonvulsant activity by
delaying the onset of MES induced seizures and
protecting treated mice from mortality induced by
seizures.The results suggest that % reduction of
extensor phase was less(39.27) in B.laciniosa treated
group when compared to the group treated with
Carbemazepine(95.58) which reveales that there was
significant increase in anticonvulsant activity in the
case of B.laciniosa treated group. [9]
BRYONIA
Anti Microbial activity: Bonyadi Rad Ehsan et
al.,(2009) evaluated the antimicrobial activity of
ethanol extract of different parts of B. Laciniosa. This
activity evaluated against Gram positive and Gram
negative bacterial isolates, they include three strains
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Anti-asthmatic activity: Jayarama Reddy et
al.,(2010) evaluated the effect of 70% alcoholic
extract of dried aerial parts of Bryonia laciniosa on
the degranulation rate of sensitized peritoneal mast
cells of albino rats when challenged with antigen.
Triple antigen was used as adjuvant and prednisolone
was used for comparision as standard. The number of
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intact and disrupted mast cells, in ten randomly
selected fields for each tissue was counted. Increase
in % granulation was recorded in Bryonia Laciniosa
treated samples compared to control. 56.27% was
recorded in B.Laciniosa treatment and 81.26%
granulation was recorded in predinisolone. [9]
Analgisic activity: Jayarama Reddy et al,.(2010)
evaluated the 70% alcoholic extract of Bryonia
laciniosa by Eddy’s hot plate method for Analgesic
activity. Morphine sulphate was used as standard. It
was found that B.laciniosa showed fairly good
analgesic activity at 30 and 60 minutes when
compared with standard drug. B.laciniosa treated
group showed an increase in response time to pain
stimuli when compared to the control group. The
increase in response time was from 5.83 to 8.50
seconds at 30 minutes and from 5.67 to 10.50
seconds after 1 hour of treatment. Response time to
pain stimuli shown by Morphine sulphate was 15.33
and 18.17 seconds respectively after 30 and 60
minutes of treatment. [9]
Sivakumar T et al.,(2004) evaluated the methanol
extract of the leaves of Bryonia laciniosa (MEBL) for
analgesic activity by hot plate and acetic acidinduced writhing methods to assess analgesic
activity. The results of this study suggest that the
MEBL has significant analgesic activity. [19]
Anticancer or Cytotoxic activity: Alpana S Moghe et
al.,(2011) evaioated the water, methanol and
chloroform extracts of B.laciniosa leaves were tested
on human cancer and normal cell lines using three in
vitro cytotoxicity assays i.e cell viability, SRB and
clonogenic potential. The effect was compared with
that of standard anticancer drugs doxorubicin and
vincristine. Activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3
enzymes was assessed to evaluate the effect of
extract on induction of apoptosis in cells. Of the
different extracts, the aqueous extract demonstrated
maximum cytotoxicity to cancer cells. The IC50 value
was estimated to be 18 µg/mL. Nearly all cancer cells
could be killed by the leaf extracts of B.laciniosa in
vitro, where as small fraction of cells from cancer
cell lines showed resistance to doxorubicin even at
concentration much higher than IC50.
Results of caspase assay demonstrated activation of
both caspase-8 and caspase-3 enzymes indicating
induction of apoptosis in B.laciniosa leaf extract
treated cells. The results thus show that aqueous
extract of B. laciniosa leaves possess cytotoxicity to
cancer cells and are able to kill all cancer cells
without leaving residual population. [17]
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Antifertility activity: Chauhan NS et al.,(2010)
evalvated the Ethanolic extract of seeds of Bryonia
laciniosa Linn orally on male albino rats at the dose
levels of 50, 100, and 150 mg /kg body weight per
day for 28 days. The changes in sexual behaviour,
reproductive organ weights, histology of testis and
epididymis, epididymal sperm density, and
androgenic hormone levels were evaluated. The
sexual behaviour parameters studied such as mount
frequency, intromission frequency, mount latency,
intromission latency were significantly affected.
Increase in body weight as well as weight of testis,
prostate, seminal vesicle, and epididymis was
noticed. Transverse sections of testis exhibited
increased spermatogenesis and a significant increase
in sperm count in epididymis. The fructose content of
seminal vesicle was also increased. The extract
treatment also brought a significant increase in serum
testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels. The
studies clearly reflect androgenic activity of the
extract and its effects on hypothalamic pituitary
gonadal axis. [18]
Antipyretic activity: Sivakumar T et al.,(2004)
evaluated methanol extract of the leaves of Bryonia
laciniosa (MEBL) for anti pyretic activity. MEBL
was evaluated for anti pyretic activity by normal
body temperature and yeast-induced hyperpyrexia.
The results of this study suggest that the MEBL has
significant antipyretic activity. [19]
CONCLUSION
The herbals occupied a distinct place in the life right
from the primitive period till date and provided
information on the use of plants or plant products and
products as medicine. The use of medicinal plants in
the management of various illnesses is due to their
phytochemical constituents and dates back antiquity
.It is seen from the literature that bryonia lacinosa is
a very important plant for its large number of
medicinal properties as well as medicinally important
chemicals like Glucomannan, Goniothalamin,
Arabinoglucomannan. The plant shows many
pharmacological activities like analgesic, antipyretic,
anti
convulsant,
antimicrobial,
cytotoxic,
antiasthmatic, anti-inflammatory and anti fertility.
Many traditional uses are also reported like
adenopathy, ague, asthma, bronchitis, carbuncles,
cholera, colic, consumption, convulsions, cough,
delirium, fertility, headache, megalospleny, paralysis,
phthisis, snake bite which are being studied till today
and further research has to be done. Thus, bryonia
lacinosa is quite promising as a multipurpose
medicinal agent so further clinical trials should be
performed to prove its efficacy.
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Figure 1: Twig of Bryonia lacinosa
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Figure 2: Fruits of Bryonia lacinosa
Figure 3: Bryonia lacinosa plant
Figure 4: A portion of the glucomannan repeating unit. The second glucose has an acetate group
Figure 5: goniothalamin (C13H12O2)
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