Login Register Cart 0
Generic placeholder image

Current Functional Foods

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2666-8629
ISSN (Online): 2666-8637

Back
Journal Home About Journal Editorial Board Current Issue Volumes/Issues
Subscribe
Research Article

Pharmacognostical, Physicochemical Evaluation, and in vitro Anti-obesity Investigation of Citrullus Colocynthis Linn. Fruits from Western Haryana

In Press, (this is not the final "Version of Record"). Available online 22 September, 2023
Author(s): Vinesh Dahiya*, Neeru Vasudeva, Sunil Sharma and Ashok Kumar
Published on: 22 September, 2023

Article ID: e100823219625

DOI: 10.2174/2666862901666230810115238

Price: $95

Abstract

Background: Cucurbitaceae family plants have been widely used as traditional medicines for the prevention and treatment of many ailments. Citrullus colocynthis Linnaeus also known as Col-ocynth, is a bitter plant commonly found growing in sandy deserts around the world, and it grows naturally in the Western Haryana region. Fruits of this plant have been utilized traditionally for various medicinal purposes, like as an appetite suppressant, hypoglycemic, diuretic, laxative, anthelmintic, and for treating renal stones.

Objective: The objective of this study is to carry out the in vitro anti-obesity investigation, pharma-cognostical studies, heavy metal and pesticide residue analysis, microbial contamination, and myco-toxins evaluation of the Citrullus colocynthis fruits for establishing their quality, safety, efficacy, and purity standards.

Methods: Fresh fruits were collected and taxonomically authenticated. The pharmacognostical char-acteristics of the intact and powdered fruits were identified and qualitative and quantitative phyto-chemical evaluation was performed. Physicochemical evaluation, heavy metal and pesticide residue detection, microbial contamination, and mycotoxins analysis were performed as per WHO guidelines 2011. In vitro inhibition activities for pancreatic lipase and α-amylase enzymes were carried out as per standard procedures and IC50 values were recorded. Results: The pharmacognostical standards viz. macroscopy, microscopy and physicochemical param-eters were laid, and the drug was declared free from microbial contamination and mycotoxins. Heavy metal analysis and pesticide residue detection revealed that their presence was below toxic levels. The Powder microscopy, microbial contamination, mycotoxin evaluation, and pesticide residue of the Col-ocynth fruits are novel findings. The IC50 values (μg/ml) for pancreatic lipase inhibition for aqueous and ethanolic extracts were found to be 21.27±1.25 and 34.35±1.86, and for α-glucosidase, the values were 271.12±2.64 and 283.21±3.06, and for α-glucosidase, the values were 295.67±2.92 and 306.15±3.44 respectively. Thus, the fruit extracts showed significant in vitro anti-obesity potential.

Conclusion: Pharmacognostical and physicochemical studies prove to be useful in reducing commer-cial adulteration of the crude drug by assuring their purity and identity and this could further help in improving the quality of formulations incorporating it. The results of various standardization parame-ters could be used for designing the monograph of the crude drug. The fruits were found to be fit for therapeutic consumption and their extracts have shown good pancreatic lipase inhibition. The in vitro anti-obesity investigation findings of the fruit extracts can further be explored in-vivo for evaluating their therapeutic efficacy.

[1]
Dahiya V, Vasudeva N, Sharma S, Kumar A, Rowley D. Lead anti-obesity compounds from nature. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets 2020; 20(10): 1637-53.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871530320666200504092012] [PMID: 32364084]
[2]
WHO. Quality assurance pharmaceuticals. Geneva 1996.
[3]
WHO. Technical report series. Geneva 1996.
[4]
Minsi Z, Yushuang L, Tao Y, Liya L, Zhiyong L, Xiulan H. Research progress on chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Uyghur medicinal watermelon. China J Traditional Chinese Med 2020; 45(04)
[http://dx.doi.org/10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20191104.201]
[5]
Gurudeeban S, Satyavani K, Ramanathan T. Bitter apple (Citrullus colocynthis): an overview of chemical composition and Biomedical potentials. Asian J Plant Sci 2010; 9(7): 394-401.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3923/ajps.2010.394.401]
[6]
Kapoor M, Kaur N, Sharma C, et al. Citrullus colocynthis an important plant in Indian traditional system of medicine. Pharmacogn Rev 2020; 14(27): 22-7.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5530/phrev.2020.14.4]
[7]
Tannin-Spitz T, Grossman S, Dovrat S, Gottlieb HE, Bergman M. Growth inhibitory activity of cucurbitacin glucosides isolated from Citrullus colocynthis on human breast cancer cells. Biochem Pharmacol 2007; 73(1): 56-67.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2006.09.012] [PMID: 17049494]
[8]
Mazher M, Ishtiaq M, Mushtaq W, et al. Comprehensive review of phytochemistry and bioactivities of Citrullus Colocynthis (L.) Schrad. Open access. J Pharm Sci 2020; 4(4): 1-12.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.23880/oajpr-16000218]
[9]
Bellakhdar J, Claisse R, Fleurentin J, Younos C. Repertory of standard herbal drugs in the Moroccan pharmacopoea. J Ethnopharmacol 1991; 35(2): 123-43.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-8741(91)90064-k] [PMID: 1809818]
[10]
Wasfi IA, Bashir AK, Abdalla AA, Banna NR, Tanira MOM. Antiinflammatory activity of some medicinal plants of the United Arab Emirates. Int J Pharmacol 1995; 33(2): 124-8.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/13880209509055211]
[11]
Yadav ND, Singh PM. Tumba and mateera cultivation in the Indian arid zone. In: CAZRI Jodhpur publication. 1992; p. 3.
[12]
Pare D, Hilou A, Ouedraogo N, Guenne S. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used as anti-obesity remedies in the nomad and hunter communities of burkina faso. Medicines 2016; 3(2): 9.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/medicines3020009] [PMID: 28930119]
[13]
Meybodi MSK. A review on pharmacological activities of citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. Asian J Adv Res Rep endocrinology 2020; 3(1): 25-34.
[14]
Batanouny KH. Wild medicinal plants in egypt—an inventory to support conservation and sustainable use. In: Egypt: The Palm Press. 1999; p. 42.
[15]
Baquar SR, Tasnif M. Medicinal plants of Southern West Pakistan, PeriodicalVivekVihar. Delhi: Expert Book Agency 1984.
[16]
Kirtikar KR, Basu BD. Indian medicinal plants. In: Dehradun: Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh. 1984.
[17]
Qureshi R, Raza Bhatti G. Ethnobotany of plants used by the Thari people of Nara Desert, Pakistan. Fitoterapia 2008; 79(6): 468-73.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2008.03.010] [PMID: 18538950]
[18]
Abbas D, Simon G, Kosari AR, et al. Flavone c-glycosides and cucurbitacin glycosides from citrullus colocynthis. Daru 2006; 14(3): 109-14.
[19]
Al-Ghaithi F, El-Ridi MR, Adeghate E, Amiri MH. Biochemical effects of citrullus colocynthis in normal and diabetic rats. Mol Cell Biochem 2004; 261(1-2): 143-9.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:MCBI.0000028749.63101.cc] [PMID: 15362497]
[20]
Krishnarajua AV, Rao TVN, Sundararajua D, Vanisree M, Tsay HS, Subbaraju GV. Assessment of bioactivity of indian medicinal plants using brine shrimp (artemia salina) lethality assay. Int J of Applied Sci and Engineering 2005; 3(2): 125-34.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/b:mcbi.0000028749.63101.cc]
[21]
Adam SEI, Al-Yahya MA, Al-Farhan AH. Response of najdi sheep to oral administration of citrullus colocynthis fruits, nerium oleander leaves or their mixture. Small Rumin Res 2001; 40(3): 239-44.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0921-4488(01)00184-5] [PMID: 11323208]
[22]
Goel A, Garg A, Kumar A. Effect of Capparis spinose Linn extract on lipopolysaccharide- induced cognitive impairment in rats. India: NISCAIR-CSIR 2016.
[23]
Agarwal SS. Antifertility activity of methanolic bark extract of Aegle marmelos (L.) in male wistar rats. Daru 2012; 20(1): 1-10.
[PMID: 23226110]
[24]
Rajasree R, Sibi P, Francis F, William H. Phytochemicals of cucurbitaceae family: A review. IJPPR 2016; 8: 113-23.
[25]
Seger C, Sturm S, Mair ME, Ellmerer EP, Stuppner H. 1H and 13C NMR signal assignment of cucurbitacin derivatives from Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrader and Ecballium elaterium L. (Cucurbitaceae). Magn Reson Chem 2005; 43(6): 489-91.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mrc.1570] [PMID: 15772995]
[26]
Abdel-Hassan IA, Abdel-Barry JA, Tariq Mohammeda S. The hypoglycaemic and antihyperglycaemic effect of citrullus colocynthis fruit aqueous extract in normal and alloxan diabetic rabbits. J Ethnopharmacol 2000; 71(1-2): 325-30.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0378-8741(99)00215-9] [PMID: 10904181]
[27]
Khandelwal KR. Practical Pharmacognosy IndiaNirali Publication Pragati books private limited 2008.
[28]
Evans WC. Trease and evans pharmacognosy. In: India: Elsevier 2009.
[29]
WHO. Quality control methods for herbal material, Geneva Organisation Mondiale De Sante 2011; 9-86.
[30]
Kokate CK. Practical pharmacognosy 2000; 218: 50.
[31]
Geetha SS, Rajeswari S. A preliminary study on phytochemical screening, proximate analysis and anti-bacterial activities of andrographis paniculata seed extract. Res J Pharm Technol 2019; 12(5): 2083-8.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5958/0974-360X.2019.00345.7]
[32]
Talole B, Salve P, Waje M. Phytochemical screening and determination of total phenolic content of citrullus colocynthis linn. Int J Pharma Phytopharmacol Res 2017; 3: 44-5.
[33]
Chekroun E, Benariba N, Adida H, Bechiri A, Azzi R, Djaziri R. Antioxidant activity and phytochemical screening of two cucurbitaceae: Citrullus colocynthis fruits and bryonia dioica roots. Asian Pac J Trop Dis 2015; 5: 632-7.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2222-1808(15)60903-3]
[34]
Kim HY, Kwon SH, Cho EJ. Phytochemical constituents of bitter melon (Momordica charantia). Nat Prod Sci 2013; 19: 286-9.
[35]
Neelamma G, Swamy BD, Dhamodaran P. Phytochemical and pharmacological overview of cucurbita maxima and future perspective as potential phytotherapeutic agent. Eur J Pharm Med Res 2016; 3: 277-87.
[36]
Nora NB, Hamid K, Snouci M, Boumediene M, Abdellah M. Phytochemical and antibacterial screening of Citrullus colocynthis of South-west Algeria. J Chem Pharm Res 2015; 7: 1344-8.
[37]
Oyetayo F, Oyetayo V, Ajewole V. Phytochemical profile and antibacterial properties of the seed and leaf of the Luffa plant (Luffa cylindrica). J Pharmacol Toxicol 2007; 2: 586-9.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3923/jpt.2007.586.589]
[38]
Rita WS, Swantara IMD, Asih IRA, Sinarsih NK, Suteja IKP. Total flavonoid and phenolic contents of n-butanol extract of Samanea saman leaf and the antibacterial activity towards Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In: In AIP Conference Proceedings. AIP Publishing 2016.
[39]
Rudroju S, Talari S, Marka R, Penchala S, Swamy R. Phytochemical analysis of trichosanthes cucumerina L. Indo Am J Pharma Res 2013; 3(4): 335-7.
[40]
Singh J, Singh V, Shukla Rai A. Phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of selected Cucurbit fruits Extracted with Different Solvents. J Nutr Food Sci 2016; 6(6): a.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-9600.1000565]
[41]
Tan ES, Abdullah A, Kassim NK. Extraction of steroidal glycoside from small-typed bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) J Chem Pharma Res 2015; 7: 870-8.
[42]
Ugbaja CC, Fawibe OO, Oyelakin AS, Fadimu IO, Ajiboye AA, Agboola DA. Comparative phytochemical and nutritional composition of Trichosanthes cucumerina (L.) and some Solanum lycopersicum (L.) cultivars in Nigeria. Am J Plant Sci 2017; 8(29)
[http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2017.82021]
[43]
Xu Y, Chen G, Lu X, et al. Chemical constituents from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. Biochem Syst Ecol 2012; 43: 114-6.
[44]
Najafi S, Sanadgol N, Nejad BS, Beiragi MA, Sanadgol E. Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity of Citrullus colocynthis (Linn.) Schrad against Staphylococcus aureus. J Med Plants Res 2010; 4: 2321-5.
[45]
Alebiosu C, Yusuf A. Phytochemical screening, thin-layer chromatographic studies and uv analysis of extracts of citrullus lanatus. J of Pharma Chem and Biol Sci 2015; 3: 214-20.
[46]
Kokate CK, Purohit AP, Gokhale SB. Pharmacognsoy. In: Pune: Nirali Prakashan 2022.
[47]
Kunle OF, Egharevba HO, Ahmadu PO. Standardisation of herbal medicines: A review. Int J Biodivers Conserv 2012; 4: 101-12.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5897/IJBC11.163]
[48]
Das S, Vasudeva N, Sharma S. Chemical composition of ethanol extract of Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc. using GC-MS spectroscopy. Org Med Chem Lett 2014; 4(1): 13.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13588-014-0013-y] [PMID: 26548989]
[49]
Stankovic MS. Total phenolic content, flavanoid concentration and antioxidant activity of Marrubium peregrinum L. extracts. Kragujevac. J Sci 2011; 33: 63-72.
[50]
Djeridane A, Yousfi M, Nadjemi B, Boutassouna D. stocker P, Vidal N. Antioxidant activity of some algerian medicinal plants extracts containing phenolic compounds. Food Chem 2006; 97(4): 654-60.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.04.028]
[51]
Han LK, Kimura Y, Okuda H. Reduction in fat storage during chitin-chitosan treatment in mice fed a high-fat diet. Int J Obes 1999; 23(2): 174-9.
[PMID: 10078853]
[52]
Rani N, Sharma SK, Vasudeva N. Assessment of antiobesity potential of achyranthes aspera linn. seed. eCAM 2012; 2012: ; 1-7.
[53]
Moradi Afrapoli F, Asghari b, Saeidnia S, et al. In vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of phenolic constituents from aerial parts of Polyganum hyrcanicum. Daru 2012; 20(37): 1-6.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/2008-2231-20-37]
[54]
Uma C, Sekar KG. Phytochemical analysis of a folklore medicinal plant citrullus colocynthis L (bitter apple). J Pharmacogn Phytochem 2014; 2(6): 195-202.
[55]
Gunjan M, Sarangdevot YS, Vyas B. Pharmacognostical study, and pharmacological review of coccinia indica fruit and zea mays leaves. J Pharm Sci and Res 2021; 13(6): 335-9.
[56]
Doharey V, Kumar M, Upadhyay SK, Singh R, Kumari B. Pharmacognostical, physicochemical and pharmaceutical paradigm of ash gourd, Benincasa hispida (thunb.) Fruit. Plant Arch 2021; 21(S1): 249-52.
[57]
Nigam P, Gidwani B, Dhongde H, Gupta A, Kaur CD. A review on pharmacognostical and pharmacological activities of lagenaria siceraria species. Int J Pharmacol Phytochem Ethnomed 2015; 1: 55-64.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/IJPPE.1.55]
[58]
Korfali SI, Hawi T, Mroueh M. Evaluation of heavy metals content in dietary supplements in Lebanon. Chem Cent J 2013; 7(1): 10.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1752-153X-7-10] [PMID: 23331553]
[59]
Korfali SI, Mroueh M, Al-Zein M, Salem R. Metal concentration in commonly used medicinal herbs and infusion by Lebanese population: Health impact. J Food Res 2013; 2: 70-80.
[60]
Singh R, Gautam N, Mishra A, Gupta R. Heavy metals and living systems: An overview. Indian J Pharmacol 2011; 43(3): 246-53.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0253-7613.81505] [PMID: 21713085]
[61]
WHO. Guidelines for assessing quality of herbal medicines with reference to contaminants and residues. In: Geneva, Switzerland: Press 2007.
[62]
WHO.. Traditional Medicine StrategyGeneva, Switzerland 2002.
[63]
Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária - ANVISA [Brazil]. Farmacopeia Brasileira. Brasília Anvisa 5th. 2010; 1: 546.
[64]
Zank S, Hanazaki N. The coexistence of traditional medicine and biomedicine: A study with local health experts in two Brazilian regions. PLoS One 2017; 12(4): e0174731.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174731] [PMID: 28414735]
[65]
Rustom IYS. Aflatoxin in food and feed: Occurrence, legislation and inactivation by physical methods. Food Chem 1997; 59: 57-67.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(96)00096-9]
[66]
Sweeney MJ, Dobson ADW. Mycotoxin production by aspergillus, fusarium and penicillium species. Int J Food Microbiol 1998; 43(3): 141-58.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5094/APR.2012.012] [PMID: 9801191]
[67]
Soobrattee MA, Neergheen VS, Luximon-Ramma A, Aruoma OI, Bahorun T. Phenolics as potential antioxidant therapeutic agents: Mechanism and actions. Mutat Res 2005; 579(1-2): 200-13.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2005.03.023] [PMID: 16126236]
[68]
Panche AN, Diwan AD, Chandra SR. Flavonoids: An overview. J Nutr Sci 2016; 5: e47.
[PMID: 28620474]
[69]
Mongkolsilp S, Pongbupakit I, Sae-Lee N, Sitthihaworm W, Article O. Radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content of medicinal plants used in primary health care savitree mongkolsilp, isara pongbupakit, nittaya sae-lee and worapan sitthithaworn. Swu J Pharm Sci 2004; 9: 32-5.
[70]
Iswaldi I, Gómez-Caravaca AM, Lozano-Sánchez J, Arráez-Román D, Segura-Carretero A, Fernández-Gutiérrez A. Profiling of phenolic and other polar compounds in zucchini (cucurbita pepo l.) by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Food Res Int 2013; 50: 77-84.
[71]
Yang RY, Lin S, Kuo G. Content and distribution of flavonoids among 91 edible plant species. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2008; 17(S1): 275-9.
[PMID: 18296355]
[72]
Sumiyoshi M, Kimura Y. Low molecular weight chitosan inhibits obesity induced by feeding a high-fat diet long-term in mice. J Pharm Pharmacol 2006; 58(2): 201-7.
[PMID: 16451748]
[73]
Unuofin JO, Otunola GA, Afolayan AJ. In vitro α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase inhibitory and cytotoxic activities of tuber extracts of Kedrostis Africana (L.). Cogn Heliyon 2018; 4(9): e00810.
[74]
Kumar BD, Mitra A, Manjunatha M. A comparative study of alpha-amylase inhibitory activities of common antidiabetic plants of kharagpur. Int J Green Pharm 2010; 4(1): 115-21.
[75]
Karthic K, Kirthiram KS, Sadasivam S, Thayumanavan B, Palvannan T. Identification of α amylase inhibitors from Syzygium cumini Linn seeds. Indian J Exp Biol 2008; 46(9): 677-80.
[PMID: 18949899]
[76]
Alonso-Castro AJ, Domínguez F, Zapata-Morales JR, Carranza-Álvarez C. Plants used in the traditional medicine of Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America) and the Caribbean for the treatment of obesity. J Ethnopharmacol 2015; 175: 335-45.
[PMID: 26410815]

Rights & Permissions Print Cite
© 2025 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy