Phytochemical Investigation and Hypoglycaemic Effect of Cajanus cajan

 

Subrata Das¹,  Kamalesh Purkait¹, Kazi Asraf Ali², Pranabesh Chakraborty^2*

¹Women’s Polytechnic, Chandernagore, Hooghly, West Bengal-712136

²Bengal School of Technology, Sugandha, Chinsurah, Hooghly, West Bengal-712102

 

ABSTRACT:

The human beings utilized diverse plant sources from time immemorial for the treatment of various diseases based on trial and error and acquired experience. Extensive usage of various plant parts as panacea was described in ancient books of Ayurvedic System of medicine especially in Charaka Samhita (3000-2000 BC).Plant parts are not only used to cure illnesses but also administered to boost up the physical immunity. In most of the cases, plants contain very low quantities of pharmacologically active compounds. All over the world, the research on plants in order to find out pharmacologically active components has been increased enormously.  A large number of evidences have been found to reveal the huge potential of plants for pharmaceutical application. Therefore plant sources have become a key target to explore new pharmacologically active compounds and pharmaceutical additives. Cajanus cajan is growing widely throughout the tropical and subtropical countries in the world. It is traditionally used in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. Its medicinal usage has been described in several diseases in all medicinal systems.

Chemical groups such as 2’-o-methylcajanone; 5,2'-dihydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyisoflavone; 5,2',4'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyisoflavone; 5,2'-dihydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyisoflavone; 5,7,2',4'-tetrahydroxyisoflavone; 5,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone; 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavone; alpha-copaene are mainly believed to be responsible for its various therapeutic actions.

It is used as hypoglycemic, hepato-protective, nephroprotective, anticytotoxic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and anti-osteoporotic agents. Therefore it is worthwhile to review its therapeutic properties to give an overview of its status to scientists both modern and ancient. This review also encompasses on the potential applications of the Cajanus cajan (Arhar) plant in the pharmaceutical field due to its wide pharmaceutical activities.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Cajanus cajan (Pigeonpea) is cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries as an important pulse or grain legume crop or eaten green as a vegetable. The extensive survey of literature revealed that Cajanus cajan is an important medicinal plant with diverse pharmacological spectrum^1-12,18,19.

 

Cajanus cajan is widely used in Ayurveda, and Siddha. Further the plant is traditionally used for treatment of stomach problems, syphilis, anaemia, dizziness, epilepsy, cough, constipation, sore throat, worm infestation, insomnia , wounds, diabetes ^13-16.  

 

Hence the plant provides significant role in the treatment and prevention of a diseases.

 

Further evaluation needs to be carried out to explore the unknown and concealed areas and their practical and clinical applications which can be used in the treatment and welfare of the mankind. Currently Diabetes mellitus is considered as one of the most chronic diseases and is a condition that is increasing in epidemic proportions throughout the world. The management of diabetes without any side effects is still a challenge to the medical system as the treatment for diabetes is relatively limited with significant side effects. There is growing interest in the use of natural health products as an alternative approach to current medications. Plant sources has become a target to explore new drugs and in searching biologically active compounds.

 

So an attempt can be taken to indentify the antidiabetic activity or hypoglycaemic effect (in vitro and in vivo) of Cajanus cajan.

 

Introduction of the plants:

Binomial name: Cajanus cajan

Kingdom – Plantae

Division –

Class –

Order – Fables

Family – Fabaceae

Genus – Cajanus

Species: cajan

Bengali name- Arhar

Hindi name- Tuver

English name- Pigeon Pea, Congo Pea, Red Gram,

Parts used- Leaves

 

Binomial name

Cajanus cajan

 

AIM AND OBJECTIVES:

Aim: To identify various phytoconstituents present in the above said plants and to check hepatoprotective  effect of different extracts and fractions of the same.

 

Objectives:

a)    Phytochemical investigation

b)    Collection and authentication of the plants

c)    Extraction and fractionations

d)    Isolation of important phytoconstituents

e)    Qualitative chemical analysis using Chromato graphic techniques

f)     Identification of hepatoprotective  activity   

 

Plan of work including materials and methods:

a)    The selected plants will be authenticated and be collected.

b)    Extraction and fractionations of the authenticated plant materials will be carried out with the help of soxhlet apparatus by using different solvent systems.

c)    Qualitative chemical analysis will be carried out to detect the presence of various phytoconstituents.

d)    Chromatographic techniques like TLC, HPTLC, HPLC, GC etc will be used to confirm and separate the identified constituents.

e)    Isolation of important phytoconstituents will be done depending on the chromatographic results.

f)     UV spectra and FT-IR spectra will be taken.

g)    Different extracts, fractions and isolated products (if any) will be screened for hypoglycaemic effect by using various in vitro and in vivo models.

 

The probable models to be used are as under:

i)     The streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat method ii) In vivo model

h) Preparation of a formulation containing the combination of above said plants as an Antidiabetic  product and a comparative study of the formulation with standard marketed product (Modern Medicine and Traditional Medicine)

 

The following instrument will be utilized for the project:

a)      Soxhlet Apparatus (1000ml)

b)     Rota-evaporator

c)      Simple Distillation apparatus

d)     Refrigerator

e)      Column (2ft in height)

f)      TLC Plates and Chambers

g)      TLC spryer

h)     HPLC

i)       HPTLC

j)       GC

k)     UV Spectrophotometer

l)       FT-IR

m)    Micro pipettes

n)     Electronics Balance

o)     Glass wares

 

Animals:

i)   Albino rats of Wister strain-50

 

CONCLUSION:

The extensive survey of literature revealed that Cajanus cajan is an important medicinal plant with diverse pharmacological spectrum. It is widely used in ayurveda, siddha, Chinese medicine etc. The  wide spectrum  study has been done on the plant proved that the plant has many important phytoconstituents 2’-o-methylcajanone; 5,2'-dihydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyisoflavone; 5,2',4'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyisoflavone; 5,2'-dihydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyisoflavone;5,7,2',4'-tetrahydroxyisoflavone; 5,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone;7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavone;alpha-copaene;alpha-himachalene; alpha-humulene; beta-himachalene; cajaminose; cajanin; cajaninstilbene acid; cajaquinone; concajanin; gamma-himachalene; lupeol; orientin; phytic acid; pinostrobin; vitexin^[17]. These compounds were found to be responsible for many of the pharmacological activities such as Hypoglycaemic activity ^(18,19),  Hepatoprotective activity, Nephroprotective activity, Anticytotoxic activity, Immunomodulatory activity, Antioxidant activity, Anti-osteoporotic activity etc.

 

Further the plant is used for treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases, Jaundice, diarrhoea, measles, gonorrhoea, intestinal worms, eye infections, earaches, sore throat, sore gums, toothache, other oral problems, anaemia, dizziness, epilepsy, cough, oral ulcers, odontagia, gingivitis, atrangury, haemorrhoids, fever etc. Hence the plant provides significant role in the treatment and prevention of a diseases.

 

Further evaluation needs to be carried out to explore the unknown and concealed areas and their practical and clinical applications which can be used in the treatment and welfare of the mankind.

 

These compounds were found to be responsible for many of the pharmacological activities such as hypoglycaemic, antimicrobial, hypolipidaemic, antioxidant, neuro protective, antiulcer agents etc. Hence, this plant provides a significant role in the prevention of number of diseases.

 

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2.     Ghosh A, Sil PC. Anti-oxidative effect of a protein from Cajanus indicus L against acetaminophen-induced hepato-nephro toxicity. J Biochem Mol Biol. 2007 Nov 30; 40 (6):1039-49.

3.     Ghosh A, Sil PC. A protein from Cajanus indicus Spreng protects liver and kidney against mercuric chloride-induced oxidative stress. Biol Pharm Bull. 2008 Sep; 31 (9):1651-8.

4.     Datta S, Basu K, Sinha S, Bhattacharyya P. Hepatoprotective effect of a protein isolated from Cajanus indicus (Spreng) on carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Indian J Exp Biol. 1998 Feb; 36 (2):175-81.

5.     Datta S, Sinha S, Bhattacharyya P. Hepatoprotective activity of a herbal protein CI-1, purified from Cajanus indicus against beta-galactosamine HCl toxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes. Phytother Res. 1999 Sep; 13 (6):508-12.

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7.     Sinha M, Manna P, Sil PC. Amelioration of galactosamine-induced nephro toxicity by a protein isolated from the leaves of the herb, Cajanus indicus L. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2007 Apr 25; 7:11.

8.     Sinha M, Manna P, Sil PC. Attenuation of cadmium chloride induced cytotoxicity in murine hepatocytes by a protein isolated from the leaves of the herb Cajanus indicus L. Arch Toxicol. 2007 Jun;81(6):397-406. Epub 2007 Jan 30.

9.     Datta S, Sinha S, Bhattacharyya P. Effect of a herbal protein, CI-1, isolated from Cajanus indicus on immune response of control and stressed mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 1999 Nov 30; 67(3):259-67.

10.   Wu N, Fu K, Fu YJ, Zu YG, Chang FR, Chen YH, Liu XL, Kong Y, Liu W, Gu CB. Antioxidant activities of extracts and main components of Pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] Leaves. Molecules. 2009 Mar 4;14(3):1032-43.

11.   Zheng YY, Yang J, Chen DH, Sun L. [Effects of the extracts of Cajanus cajan L. on cell functions in human osteoblast-like TE85 cells and the derivation of osteoclast-like cells] Yao Xue Xue Bao. 2007 Apr;42(4):386-91.

12.   Zheng YY, Yang J, Chen DH, Sun L. [Effects of the stilbene extracts from Cajanus cajan L. on ovari ectomy-induced bone loss in rats] Yao Xue Xue Bao. 2007 May; 42(5):562-5.

13.   M. Brink, G. Belay Cereals and Pulses PROTA Foundation/ Backhuys Publishers Wageningen 2006 pg. 35

14.   C.P. Khare Indian Medicinal Plants: An Illustrated Dictionary Springer-Verlag Berlin 2007 pg. 110

15.   Duke, J.A. 1983. Handbook of energy crops. NewCROP (New Crops Resource Online Program), Purdue Univ. Center for New Crops and Plant Products. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Cajanus_cajun.html (accessed 24 July 2012).

16.   Indian Medicinal Plants.( Vol-I)2007

17.   Ogunbinu AO, Flamini G, Cioni PL, Adebayo MA, Ogunwande IA. Constituents of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp., Moringa oleifera Lam., Heliotropium indicum L. and Bidens pilosa L. from Nigeria. Nat Prod Commun. 2009 Apr; 4(4):573-8.

18.   Ezike AC, Akaha PA,Okoli CC, Okpala CB, Experimental evidence for the antidiabetic activity of Cajanus cajan leave in rats, J Basic and Clinical Pharm.2010;1:25-30.

19.   Jaiswal D, Rai PK, Kumar A Watal G, Study of glycemic profile of  Cajanus cajan leaves in experimental rats. Indian J Clin Biochem. 2008;23:167-70.

 

 

Accepted on 22.04.2016        © RJPT All right reserved

Research J. Pharm. and Tech 2016; 9(9):1341-1343.