Battu Ganga Rao et al, J.

Global Trends Pharm Sci, 2018; 9(1): 4787 - 4792

An Elsevier Indexed Journal ISSN-2230-7346

Journal of Global Trends in Pharmaceutical Sciences

REVIEW OF LITERATURE: PHYTO PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES ON

THESPESIA POPULNEA.

Battu Ganga Rao*, K.Jeevitha, Devarakonda Ramadevi, Heera Battu

Department Of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, A.U. College of Pharmaceutical

Sciences, Andhra University, Viakhapatnam, India.

*Corresponding author E-mail: ganga.battu@gmail.com

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Thespesia populnea Linn (Family-Malvaceae) is one of the important drugs
Key Words used in herbal medicine. It is known by the name Paras-pipal. It is cultivated
for ornament and shade and it blooms throughout the year in the tropics.
Thespesia , Various parts of this plant are found to have useful medicinal properties such
Pharmacological, as antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, purgative and
Phytochemical, hepatoprotective activities. The yellow juice of fruits is used in treating
Malvaceae certain hepatic diseases. A decoction of the bark is given internally in the
diseases of skin and that of fruits as an antidote for poisoning. The seed has
purgative properties. The plant has also been effective in treating malaria. A
wide range of biologically active compounds such as flavonoids,
sesquiterpenoids, tannin, saponins, alkanes, essential oils, sugars, fatty acids
and anti-oxidants are present in the plant. This article provides a
comprehensive review of its ethano-medical uses, chemical constituents and
pharmacological profile as medicinal plants.

INTRODUCTION:
Malvaceae, is a family of flowering Family : Malvaceae
plants estimated to contain 244 genera Genus : Thespesia
with 4225 known species. Well known Species : populnea
members of this family include Okra,
Cotton, Cacao and Durian. The largest Sub-Families
genera in terms of number of species The Malvaceae comprise nine
include Hibiscus (300 species), Sterculia subfamilies. They are as shown below.
(250 species), Dombeya (250 species), Byttnerioideae – 26 genera, 650 species,
Pavonia (200 species) and Sida (200 Grewioideae – 25 genera, 770 species,
species) Sterculioideae – 12 genera, 430 species,
Tilioideae – 3 genera, 50 species,
Taxonomical classification of Thespesia Dombeyoideae – 20 genera, 380 species,
populnea Brownlowioideae – 8 genera , 70 species,
Helicteroideae – 8 to 12 genera, 10 to 90
Kingdom: Plantae species, Malvoideae – 78 genera, 1670
Division : Magnoliophyta species, Bombacoideae – 12 genera, 120
Class : Magnoliopsida species.
Order : Malvales

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Vernacular names persistent calyx. The brown or grey

Hindi : Paras-pipal capsules are about 5 cm in diameter;
English : Portia tree; Umbrella grown on short stalks and clusters at the
Marathi : Bhendikejhar ends of the branches. The greyish brown
Kannada : Jogiyarale; Arasi hairy seeds are flat, elliptic, and powdery
Gujarathi : Paarsapeepala on the surface with the size 0.7 to 1.2 cm
Sanskrit : Gardha-bhanda; Parisha long and 0.6 m broad.
Tamil : Cheelnathi
Telugu : Gangaraavi Chemical Constituents
The plant yields Kaempferol and
Botanical Description its glycosides, herbacetin and its glucoside,
T. Populnea (L.) Linn. (Fam. populneol, populnin, populnatin, quercetin,
Malvaceae), a fast growing, medium sized rutin, gossipetin, gossypol, β-sitosterol and
evergreen tree, up to 10 m tall with yellow, its glucosides, leupeol, leupenone, alkanes,
cup-shaped flowers having maroon colour myricyl alcohol, sesquiterpenoidal
at the centre and distributed throughout quinines viz; mansonone C, D,E and F,
coastal forests of India and also largely thespone, thespesone, amino acids and
grown as a roadside tree. It has heart carbohydrates.
shaped leaves glossy green in colour and
Traditional Uses
yellow hibiscus-type flowers. T. populnea
is small evergreen tree with average 6-10m The plant has anti-inflammatory,
(20-33ft), a short, often crooked stem and antibacterial properties and is used to treat
a broad, dense crown. The tree grows well asthma and cough. Bark is used to treat
under full sunlight and tolerates drought skin diseases, dysentery, haemorrhoids and
conditions. It propagates easily and grows as astringent. The young fruit secretes a
rapidly. This evergreen tree is bushy when yellow sticky sap which is used to treat
young but thins out with age. It grows to ringworm and other skin diseases. Leaves
12-18m in height and 0.5-0.8 m in girth. It are applied to inflamed and swollen joints
grows rapidly under favourable conditions. in the form of hot poultice. Roots are used
as a tonic. Fruits, flowers and leaves were
Bark: Often knobby, fibrous, fissured,
used for external application to scabies,
grey to brown.
psoriasis and other skin diseases. The bark
Leaves: Simple, alternate, long petiole, and fruits possess more curative properties.
cordate, entire and acuminate, prominent
Some other species of Thespesia
nerves 5-7 with peltate scale on one or
both surfaces. Leaves are heart-shaped, Thespesia garckeana
shiny green, usually ranging in size 10 to Thespesia acutioba
20 cm long and 6-13 cm broad. Thespesia populneoides
Thespesia lampas
Flowers: Showy, large, cup-shaped
Thespesia grandiflora
hibiscus-like pale yellow, size 5 to 8 cm,
Thespesia thespesiodes
with a dark blotch at the base of the petals.
Thespesia mossambicensis
They last for one to two days, turning
Thespesia cubensis
maroon, purple or pink as the day
Thespesia patellifera
progresses. They are produced throughout
Thespesia gummiflua
the year in warm climates.
Thespesia fissicalyx
Fruits and seeds: Capsules are brown, Thespesia multibracteata
containing five cells and several seeds with Thespesia robusta

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Table 1: Past pharmacological works on T. Populnea:

Part of the plant used Activity done References
Bark Dyeing property Kuchekar Mohini et al., (2017)
Anti-diarrheal Viswanatha et al., (2011)
Anti-microbial Saxena et al., (2010)
Anti-diabetic Parthasarathy et al., (2009)
Anti-psoriatic Shrivastav et al., (2009)
Anti-bacterial and Cytotoxic Boonsri et al.,
Memory enhancing effect Vasudevan et al., (2007)
Anti-oxidant Anandjiwala et al., (2007)
Anti-inflammatory Vasudevan et al., (2007),
Anti-nociceptive Vasudevan et al., (2007)
Wound healing activity Fathima naslath et al.,

Leaf Anti-diabetic Parthasarathy et al., (2009)

Hypo-glycemic Jayakumari et al., (2003)
Anti-ulcer Jayakumari et al., (2003)
Anti-bacterial Pratap Chandran et al., (2014)
Anti-fungal Pratap Chandran et al., (2014)
Anti-hepatotoxic Anni shirwaskar et al., (2008)
Alpha amylase inhibitory activity Sangeetha et al., (2012)
Flower Anti-bacterial Shravanakumar et al., (2009)
Synergistic activity Shravanakumar et al., (2009)
Anti-steroidogenic activity Kavimani et al.,
Anti-diabetic Hajasherief et al., (2011)
Seed Anti-hyperglycemic Belhekar et al., (2009)
Arial parts Anti-oxidant Saikoteswarsharma et al.,
Anti-inflammatory Saikoteswarsharma et al.,

Table 2: Past phytochemical works on T. Populnea:

Part of the Plant Compounds isolated References
Bark Gossypol, Waller et al., (1983)
Mansonone D, E and F Mibrodt et al., (1997)
Flavonoids TpF-1, TpF-2, sterol TpS Shrivastav et al.,
8-sesquiterpenoids populene A to H Boonsri et al., (2008)
Sesquiterpenoid C15H16O4 Chantropromnea et al., (2007)
3,6,9-trimethyl-2,3-dihydro-benzo Fun et al.,(2007)
(de) chromene-7,8-dione (C15H14O3 )
Populin, Populneol, Populnatin Khare C.P et al.,(2007)
Thespesenone, Puckhabee.L et al.,(2004)
Stearic acid, Betulin Vasudevan M et al.,(2004)
Leaf Quercetin-7-O-rhamnoglucoside Annishirwarkar et al.,
Lupeol, Leupenone Zhang et al.,(2007)
Fruit Herbacetin, Thespesin Datta SC et al.,(1998)
Flower Kaempterol, Gossipetin, Datta SC et al.,(1973)
Rutin, Quercetin N.N.Seshadri ; et al.,(1973)

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Fig 1: Some isolated compounds and structures:

Mansonone D Populin

Mansonone F Populneol

Gossypol Betulin

CONCLUSION
The extensive literature survey carried out on Thespesia populnea in order
revealed that Thespesia populnea is to know the uses and formulation of the
important medicinal plant with diverse plant in their practical clinical applications,
pharmacological spectrum. The plant which can be used for the welfare of the
shows the presence of many chemical mankind.
constituents which are responsible for
varied pharmacological and medicinal Acknowledgement: The authors are
property. The evaluation needs to be thankful to Prof. B. Ganga Rao , Head of

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the Department , Pharmacognosy And 9. Shirwaikar AA, Vasanth Kumar

Phytochemistry, A. U. College of BR, Krishnanand, Sreenivasan KK.
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Visakhapatnam, Chemical investigation and
for his valuable suggestions throughout the antihepatotoxic activity of
research work and Dr. Ramadevi Thespesiapopulnea. Pharmaceutical
Devarakonda , Post doctoral fellow, for Biology 33(4), 305-10 (1995)
helping us throughout. 10. Kumar GS, Jayaveera KN, Ashok
Kumar CK, Umachigi PS,
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