PHcOG J.

ReVIew ARtIcles

A Complete Review on Oxystelma esculentum R. Br.

Pandya DJ1*, Anand IS2
1
R K College of Pharmacy, Rajkot, Gujarat. 2Shri Sarvajanik Pharmacy College, Mehasana, Gujarat.

ABstRAct

Many plants which are found commonly and are mentioned in texts of traditional Indian medicine have not been
investigated thoroughly. It is necessary to conduct systematic evaluation, standardization, documentation and patenting
of these plants. Oxystelma esculentum R. Br. (Family – Asclepiadaceae), commonly known as ‘Jaldudhi’, is one such
plant which has not been studied sufficiently. It has many potential therapeutic uses which are of vital importance in
curing the diseases of the modern world like cancer, hepatitis, kidney disorders, stress-related disorders and microbial
infections. It contains two very important classes of phytoconstituents: cardenolides and pregnane glycosides, which
are easily obtained from this plant and can act as precursors of many therapeutically important compounds. the study
of this plant will be important in the future for bioactivity-guided fractionation of medicinal phytoconstituents, for
conducting pre-clinical or clinical trials and for preparing formulations or semi-synthetic compounds. the present
review, based on an extensive literature search of reputed books, scientific websites and high-impact journals, sheds
light on the research done on this plant so far, thereby providing informative guidelines regarding the work that can be
done in the future.

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Key words: Asclepiadaceae, cardenolides, Diuretic, Jaldudhi, Oxystelma esculentum, Pregnane glycosides

INTRODUCTION Vernacular names[2]

Oxystelma esculentum R. Br. (Family – Asclepiadaceae), known Sanskrit : Dugdhika, Tiktadugdha

as ‘Jaldudhi’, is a common Ayurvedic herb which has not
been sufficiently explored. It is one of the few plants to Hindi : Dudhlata
contain cardenolides and pregnane glycosides, which are
Gujarati : Jaldudhi
major classes of therapeutically important phytoconstituents.
O. esculentum has been reported to possess good therapeutic Bengali : Khirai, Dudhialata
action against many ailments of the current world. The
present review, based on an extensive literature search of Marathi : Dudhani, Dudhika
reputed books, websites and journals, remarks on the study
done on this plant so far, thereby providing a direction for Telugu : Dudipala
future research.
Tamil : Usipallai
Synonyms
Distribution[2]
Oxystelma secamone Linn., Periploca esculenta Roxb., Periploca
secamone Linn., Sarcostemma secamone Bennet, Sarcostemma Throughout plains and lower elevation areas of India, usually
esculentum Linn., Asclepias rosea R. Br.[1] near water. Also found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma and
extends to China and Indonesia.

Taxonomic classification[3]
Address for correspondence:
Devang J. Pandya, KINGDOM : Plant
R K College of Pharmacy, Rajkot, Gujarat.
Email: [email protected] DIVISION : Phanerogams
DOI: 10.5530/pj.2011.19.16
SUBDIVISION : Angiosperms

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 Pandya DJ and Anand: A Complete Review on Oxystelma esculentum R. Br.

CLASS : Dicotyledons

SUBCLASS : Sympetalae/Gamopetalae

ORDER : Gentianales

FAMILY : Asclepiadaceae

GENUS : Oxystelma

SPECIES : Oxystelma esculentum R. Br.

Description of the plant

The plant genus derives its name from two words: Oxys
(sharp) and Stelma (crown), which describes the acute lobes
of the corolla.[4] It is a twining herb or undershrub whose
stem is cylindrical, glabrous, long, slender and much branched.
Leaf is simple, opposite, dorsiventral, deciduous, usually
8cm x 0.5cm, linear lanceolate with acute apex and symmetrical
base, having long and slender petiole. Inflorescence is
racemose, subumbellate cyme or solitary. Flowers are widely
open, white with purple veins, 2.5-3cm in diameter, drooping,
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pedunculate, lateral subumbellate or racemose flowered

cymes. Calyx is pentasepalous, connate, glabrous, oblong-
lanceolate, acute, glandular inside. Corolla is pentapetalous,
connate, 2.5cm wide, glabrous, saucer-shaped, broadly rotate, Fig.1 Oxystelma esculentum R. Br.
lobed half-way down, having a densely pubescent corolline
corolla, double corona. Corolla lobes are triangular, acute,
ciliate, purple veined, valvate at base and shortly overlapping India. Fruit is bitter tonic, expectorant, anthelmintic. Fruit
to the right. Androecium consists of five stamens, adnate juice is used in muscle pain, gonorrhoea, cough and
near base of corolla, having connate filaments, anthers with leucoderma, and given to children as astringent. [7,8]
inflexed membranous deltoid tips and waxy, pendulous,
elongate-clavate, solitary pollen in each cell. Gynoecium is
bicarpellary, with style apex truncate or convex, stigma PHYTOCHEMICAL REVIEW
depressed or sub-convex. Follicles are 4.5-7.5cm long, often General chemical analysis
solitary, ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, having acute apex and
containing numerous black, broadly ovate seeds [Fig.1]. Other Researchers first carried out the chemical analysis of O.
species of Oxystelma, which is rarely found in India, is O. esculentum which revealed the presence of water, fibers,
esculentum var. wallichii. Its follicles are shorter, 2.5-4cm long, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. [9]
oblong and rounded at both ends. The only morphological
difference between the two varieties lies in its follicles.[5] Isolation of pregnane glycosides

Uses A group of researchers isolated a pregnane ester glycoside

Oxystine from the roots of O. esculentum. Powdered roots
The plant has the property of being Ushna (hot), Guru were extracted with solvents of different polarities. Repeated
(heavy), Ruksha (dry) and Katu (bitter). It is a diuretic, laxative, column chromatography of the diethyl ether extract over
spermatogenetic, antitussive, anthelmintic and antileprotic. silica gel using chloroform: methanol (96:4) as eluent afforded
It increases Vatta and stimulates female fertility.[6] Entire oxystine, which was found to be a tetraglycoside of
plant is used as diuretic, laxative, antiseptic, anthelmintic, 12-O-cinnamoyl desacylmetaplexigenin.[10] Another pregnane
antiulcer, aphrodisiac, hepatoprotective and useful in glycoside Oxysine was isolated from the roots. Column
leucoderma and bronchitis. Decoction of plant is used in chromatography of the chloroform extract using chloroform:
ulcer, sore-throat and itches. Milky juice is used as methanol (24:1) as eluent afforded oxysine, a triglycoside of
galactogogue, antiperiodic, antiulcer and as a vulnerary. Root calogenin.[11] A pregnane glycoside Esculentin was also isolated
is used ethnomedicinally in jaundice by the people of Orissa, from the roots. Column chromatography of the methanolic

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 Pandya DJ and Anand: A Complete Review on Oxystelma esculentum R. Br.

extract using chloroform: methanol (24:1) as eluent afforded a clear indication that O. esculentum has a strong antioxidant
esculentin, a triglycoside of sarcogenin.[12] Researchers isolated activity and can be used as a natural antioxidant.[17]
polyhydroxypregnane glycosides Alpinosides A, B and C from
the leaves of O. esculentum. Dried aerial parts were exhaustively Anticancer activity
extracted with ethanol: water (7:3) in a Soxhlet apparatus.
The extract was condensed under reduced pressure to a syrupy Antineoplastic activities of methanolic leaf extracts of O.
consistency. Crude extract was dissolved in methanol: water esculentum on Swiss albino mice bearing Ehrlich’s ascites
(2:1) and transferred into a separator funnel. The extract was carcinoma were studied. Decrease in tumor volume, packed
shaken with hexane, chloroform and n-butanol respectively cell volume, and viable cell count were observed in
till exhaustion. The chloroform fraction was loaded on silica methanolic extract-treated mice. The extract also decreased
gel column. Fractions eluted with chloroform: methanol the body weight of the EAC-bearing mice. Hematological
yielded three compounds of kidjolanin: Alpinoside A profiles indicated decrease in white blood cells, increase in
(pentaglycoside), Alpinoside B (tetraglycoside) and Apinoside C red blood cells and increase in Hemoglobin content. The
(pentaglycoside).[13] methanolic extract restored all the parameters of
hematological profiles to normal. Treatment with methanolic
Isolation of cardenolides extract decreased the levels of LPO and increased the levels
of GSH, SOD and CAT. These data indicate that the
Three cardenolides, Oxystelmine, Oxyline and Oxystelmoside, methanolic extract of leaves of O. esculentum exhibits
have so far been isolated from the roots of O. esculentum. significant antitumor activity.[18]
Oxyline was found to be a tetraglycoside of 3-epi-uzarigenin,
oxystelmoside is a diglycoside of uzarigenin whereas Antimicrobial activity
oxystelmine is a diglycoside of periplogenin. [14,15]

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Antibacterial activity of leaves of O. esculentum against some
hospital isolated human pathogenic bacterial strains was
PHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW studied. From the results it is clear that leaves of O. esculentum
are effective in controlling both gram positive and gram
Diuretic activity negative bacterial pathogens. The most effective crude
extracts were ethyl acetate and methanolic fractions. Aqueous
Considering the claims in the traditional medicinal texts, extract also showed sensitivity against all test organisms.
researchers studied the effects of methanolic extract of Petrol and benzene extracts of the leaves showed weak
leaves of O. esculentum. on diuresis in male Wistar albino antimicrobial action.[19] Antimicrobial activity of methanolic
rats. Urinary output and excretion of electrolytes (Na+, K+, extract of leaves O. esculentum was studied further. The
Ca2+ and Cl-) were measured. The methanolic extract antibacterial studies confirmed that the methanolic extract
significantly increased the urine output and had a significant had a zone of inhibition, but the MIC in two fold serial
effect on the electrolyte balance in a dose dependent manner, dilution method ensured no prominent action on the tested
indicating that O. esculentum is an effective hypernatremic, bacterial strains. The antifungal studies confirmed that
hyperkalaemic, hypercalcemic and hyperchloremic diuretic.[16] methanolic extract had an effective zone of inhibition against
C. albicans and C. neoformans. In MIC studies, the methanolic
Antioxidant activity extract had more effect on C. albicans, thus giving a lead
for further in vivo anticandidal studies. In future, the active
A group of researchers performed the evaluation of constituent can be formulated into a topical dosage form.[20]
antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities
of methanolic extracts of leaves of O. esculentum in various
in vitro models. It was discovered that the total antioxidant DISCUSSION
activity increased with increasing concentration. The
reducing capability and free radical scavenging activity in Oxystelma esculentum is one of the few plants to contain
DPPH also increased in a dose dependent manner. The cardenolides and pregnane glycosides, which can be obtained
methanolic extract was found to scavenge the superoxide by simple and inexpensive methods from this plant. Also,
generated by PMS/NADH/NBT system. Moreover, the these phytoconstituents can act as precursors of many other
extract was found to inhibit the nitric oxide radical generated therapeutically important compounds. Due to the changing
from sodium nitroprusside. The extract was also found to climate and lifestyle, health disorders like cancer, hepatitis,
inhibit the hydroxyl radical generated by Fe3+/ascorbate/ stress-related disorders, urinary disorders and bacterial
EDTA/water system. The extract scavenged the hydrogen infections have emerged as serious global issues. This plant
peroxide in a dose dependent manner. These results give has been reported to possess good therapeutic action against

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 Pandya DJ and Anand: A Complete Review on Oxystelma esculentum R. Br.

many of such diseases. The present review can pave a way 10. Trivedi R, Khare A, Khare MP. A pregnane ester tetraglycoside from

for a thorough evaluation, standardization, documentation

Oxystelma esculentum. Phytochemistry. 1988; 27(7):2297-300.
11. Trivedi R, Khare A, Khare MP. A pregnane ester oligoglycoside from
and patenting of this plant. An exhaustive pharmacognostical, Oxystelma esculentum. Phytochemistry. 1989; 28(4):1211-3.
phytochemical, pre-clinical, clinical and formulation-based 12. Trivedi R, Khare A, Khare MP. A pregnane triglycoside from Oxystelma
research on this plant can prove to be very fruitful for esculentum. Phytochemistry. 1990; 29(12):3967-70.
mankind. 13. Hamed AI, Sheded MG, Shaheen AM, Hamada FA. Polyhydroxypregnane
glycosides from O. esculentum. Phytochemistry. 2004; 65(7):975-80.
14. Srivastava S, Khare MP, Khare A. A cardenolide tetraglycoside
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Oxystelma esculentum. Phytochemistry. 1993; 32(4):1019-21.
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4. Drury H. Handbook of Indian Flora, Vol. II. New Delhi: M/S Bishen Singh Evaluation of antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities
Mahendrapal Singh; 1982. of Oxystelma esculentum in various in vitro models. J Complement Integr
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6. Bhavmishra. Bhavmishrakrut Haritkyadi Nighantu. Mumbai: antioxidant activities of Oxystelma esculentum on Swiss albino mice
Shrivenkateshwar Steam Press; 1926. bearing Ehrlich’s ascites carcinoma. Pharm Biol. 2009; 47(3):195-202.
7. Kirtikar KR, Basu BD. Indian Medicinal Plants, Vol. III. New Delhi: 19. Khan AV, Ahmad R, Khan AA, Shukla I. Antibacterial activity of Oxystelma
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20. Babu AD, Reddy UM. Antimicrobial activity of methanol extract of

9. Memon AR, Bhatti KM. Chemical Analysis of Caralluma edulis Benth. and
Oxystelma esculentum. J Pharm Sci Tech. 2010; 2(2):119-23.
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