International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ISSN: 2455-698X; Impact Factor: RJIF 5.22
www.pharmacyjournal.in
Volume 2; Issue 2; March 2017; Page No. 20-23

A brief study on Catharanthus Roseus: A review

Jai Narayan Mishra, Navneet Kumar Verma
Department of Pharmacy, Kailash Institute of Pharmacy and Management, GIDA, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract
Ayurveda is the Indian traditional system of medicine which focuses on the medical potential of plants. Catharanthus roseus is
one plant recognized well in Ayurveda. It is known for its antitumour, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and anti-
mutagenic effects. It is an evergreen plant first originated from islands of Madagascar. The flowers may vary in colour from pink
to purple and leaves are arranged in opposite pairs. It produces nearly 130 alkaloids mainly ajmalcine, vinceine, resperine,
vincristine, vinblastine and raubasin. Vincristine and vinblastine are used for the treatment of various types of cancer such as
Hodgkin's disease, breast cancer, skin cancer and lymphoblastic leukemia. It is an endangered species and need to be conserved
using techniques like micropropagation. It has high medicinal values which need to be explored extensively.

Keywords: alkaloids, catharanthus roseus, vinblastine, vincristine, anti-cancer

Introduction Vernacular names:

Medicinal plants have a long history of usage in traditional English : cayenne jasmine, old maid, periwinkle
medicine. Ethno-botanical information on medicinal plants Hindi : sada bahar, sadabahar
and their usage by indigenous cultures is useful in the Kannada : batla hoo, bili kaasi kanigalu, ganeshana hoo,
conservation of traditional cultures, biodiversity, community kempu kaasi kanigalu
health care and drug development. Catharanthus roseus L. Malayalam : banappuvu, nityakalyani, savanari, usamalari
(G.) Don, is an important medicinal plant belonging to the Marathi : sadaphool, sadaphul, sadaphuli
Apocynaceae family; this plant is a dicotyledonous Sanskrit : nityakalyani, rasna, sadampuspa, sadapushpi
angiosperm and synthesizes two terpene indole alkaloids: Tamil : cutkattu malli, cutukattu malli, cutukattuppu
vinblastine and vincristine that are used to fight cancer [1]. Telugu : billaganneru
Peckolt, in 1910, described the use in Brazil of an infusion of Gujarati : Barmasi
the leaves to control hemorrhage and scurvy, as a mouthwash Bengali : noyontara
for toothache, and for the healing and cleaning of chronic
wounds. In Europe related species have been used for the
proprietary suppression of the flow of milk. In the British
West Indies it has been used to treat diabetic ulcer and in the
Philippines has been reported as being an effective oral
hypoglycemic agent. More recently, Chopra et al. have
reported that the total alkaloids possess a limited antibacterial
activity as well as a significant and sustained hypotensive
action. The hypoglycemic and antibacterial activities have
not been confirmed, although one of the alkaloids isolated
from this plant, ajmalicine, has been reported to possess
transient depressor action on arterial blood pressure
Periwinkle” or Catharanthus roseus (Family Apocynaceae),
commonly known as “Nayantara” or “Sadabahar”, the word
Catharanthus derives from the Greek language meaning
"pure flower." While, roseus means red, rose or rosy [2]. Fig 1: Catharanthus roseus (copied from google.com)

Scientific classification [3]: Morphology

Botanical Name(s) : Vinca Rosea (Catharanthus roseus) Catharanthus roseus is an evergreen subherb or herbaceous
Family Name : Apocynaceae plant growing to 1 m. tall. The leaves are oval to oblong, 2.5-
Kingdom : Plantae 9.0 cm. long and 1- 3.5 cm. broad glossy green hairless with
Division : Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants) a pale midrib and a short petiole about 1- 1.8 cm. long and
Class : Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons) they are arranged in the opposite pairs. The flowers are white
Order : Gentianales to dark pink with a dark red center, with a basal tube about
Family : Apocynaceae 2.5- 3 cm. long and a corolla about 2-5 cm. diameter with
Genus : Catharanthus five petal like lobes. The fruit is a pair of follicles about 2-4
Species : C. roseus cm. long and 3 mm broad.
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Geographical Distribution
Catharanthus roseus is native to the Indian Ocean Island of
Madagascar. In the wild, it is found to be an endangered plant
and the main cause of their decline is the habitat destruction
by the slash and burn agriculture however, it is now common
in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide,
including the Southern United states.

Potentially Active Chemical Constituents

Researchers investigating its medicinal properties discovered
that it contained a group of alkaloids that, though extremely
toxic, had potential uses in cancer treatment. Plants have the
ability to synthesize a wide variety of chemical compounds
that are used to perform important biological functions, and
to defend against attack from predators such as insects, fungi
and herbivorous mammals. C. roseus posse’s carbohydrate,
flavinoid, saponin and alkaloids. Alkaloids are the most
potentially active chemical constituents of Catharanthus
roseus. More than 400 alkaloids are present in the plant, Fig 4: Vindesine
which are used as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, flavor and
fragrance, ingredients, food additives and pesticides. The
alkaloids like actineo plastidemeric, Vinblastine, Vincristine,
Vindesine, Vindeline Tabersonine etc. are mainly present in
aerial parts whereas ajmalicine, vinceine, vineamine,
raubasin, reserpine, catharanthine etc are present in roots and
basal stem. Rosindin is an anthocyanin pigment found in the
flower of C. roseus [4].

Fig 5: Tabersonine

Pharmacological Activities
Anti-cancer activity
The anticancer alkaloids Vinblastine and Vincristine are
derived from stem and leaf of Catharanthus roseus. These
alkaloids have growth inhibition effect to some human
tumors. Vinblastine is used experimentally for treatment of
neoplasmas and is recommended for Hodgkins disease,
chorio carcinoma. Vincristine another alkaloids is used for
leukemia in children. Different percentage of the methanolic
crude extracts of Catharanthus was found to show the
significant anticancer activity against numerous cell types in
the in vitro condition and especially greatest activity was
Fig 2: Vinblastin
found against the multidrug resistant tumor types. Vinblastine
is sold as Velban or Vincristine as oncovin [5, 6].

Anti-diabetic activity
The ethanolic extracts of the leaves and flower of C. roseus
showed a dose dependent lowering of blood sugar in
comparable to the standard drug. Lowering of blood sugar in
comparable to the standard drug glibenclamide. The Hypo
glycemic effect has appeared due to the result of the increase
glucose utilization in the liver. The aqueous extract was
found to lower the blood glucose of about 20% in diabetic
rats when compared to that of the dichloromethane and
methanol extracts which lowered the blood glucose level to
49-58%. The hypoglycemic effect has appeared due to the
Fig 3: Vincrestine result of the increased glucose utilization in the liver. The

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hypoglycemic activity of alkaloids isolated from C. roseus Wound healing property

have been studied pharmacologically and a remedy derived Rats treated with 100 mg /kg/day of the Catharanthus roseus
from the plant has been marketed under the propritery name ethanol extract had high rate of wound contraction
Vinculin as a treatment for diabetes [7-9]. significantly decreased epithelization period, significant
increase in dry weight and hydroxyproline content of the
Anti-microbial activity granulation tissue when compared with the controls. Wound
Crude extracts from different parts of the plant was tested for contraction together with increased tensile strength and
anti-bacterial activity. Extract from leaves showed hydroxyproline content support the use of C. roseus in the
significantly higher efficacy. The anti-bacterial activity of the management of wound healing [16].
leaf extract of the plant was checked against microorganism
like Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIM2036, Salmonella Hypolipidimic effect
typhimuruim NCIM2501, Staphylococcus aureus NCIM5021 In study, significant anti atherosclerotic activity as suggested
and was found that the extracts could be used as the by reduction in the serum levels of total cholesterol,
prophylactic agent in the treatment of many of the disease [10]. triglycerides, LDL-c, VLDLc and histology of aorta, liver
and kidney with the leaf juice of Catharanthus roseus (Linn.)
Anti-oxidant property G. Donn. Could have resulted from the antioxidant effect of
The anti-oxidant potential of the ethanolic extract of the roots flavonoid, and probably, vinpocetine like compound present
of the two varieties of C. roseus namely rosea (pink flower) in leaf juice of Catharanthus roseus (Linn.) G. Donn [17].
and alba (white flower) was obtained by using different Memory enhancement activity
system of assay such as Hydroxyl radical-scavenging Vinpocetine has been reported to have a variety of actions
activity, uperoxide radical-scavenging activity, DPPH that would hypothetically be beneficial in Alzheimer’s
radical- scavenging activity and nitric oxide radical inhibition disease (AD). The only study investigating this agent in a
method. The result obtained proved that the ethanolic extract well-defined cohort of AD patients found no benefit. Meta-
of the roots of Periwinkle varieties has exhibited the analysis of older studies of vinpocetine in poorly-defined
satisfactory scavenging effect in the entire assay in a dementia populations concluded that there is insufficient
concentration dependent manner but C. roseus was found to evidence to support its clinical use at this time. Vinpocetine
possess more antioxidant activity than that of C. alba [11]. has been well tolerated at doses up to 60 mg/d in clinical
trials of dementia and stroke, and no significant adverse
Anti-helminthic activity events [18].
Helminthes infections are the chronic illness, affecting
human beings and cattle. Catharanthus roseus was found to Conclusion
be used from the traditional period as an anti-helminthic Medicinal plants were the potent source of various novel
agent. The anti-helminthic property of C. roseus has been pharmaceutical products that shows ect causing potent
evaluated by using Pheretima posthuma as an experimental pharmacological effect on the human beings. Instead of using
model and with Piperazine citrate as the standard reference. the side effects causing chemical drugs, the ancient medicine
The ethanolic extract of the concentration of 250 mg/ml was could be explored to identify the novel drug formulations that
found to show the significant anti helminthic activity [12]. are more effective with lesser side effects and also cheaper
cost. Though, many of the traditional drugs were used
Anti-ulcer property without understanding the basic mechanism, their effect
Vincamine and Vindoline alkaloids of the plant showed anti- could be proved further with the help of the present
ulcer property. The alkaloid vincamine, present in the plant technology and tools. The active compound that is
leaves shows cerebrovasodilatory and neuroprotective responsible for the pharmacological effect could be found
activity. The plant leaves proved for anti-ulcer activity very easily and also commercialized as a drug product itself
against experimentally induced gastric damage in rats [13]. with proper approval from the respective organizations.
Catharanthus roseus is one of the 21000 important medicinal
Hypotensive property plants found. It is used for the cure of a number of diseases
Extract of leaves of the plant made significant change in such as diabetes, sore mouth, mouth ulcers, and leukemia. It
hypotensive. The leaves have been known to contain 150 produces about 130 alkaloids such as reserpine, vinceine,
useful alkaloids among other pharmacologically active raubasin and ajmalcine. Anti-leukemic activity is shown by
compounds. Significant antihyperglycemic and hypotensive vinblastine and vincristine. Different parts of this plant
activity of the leaf extracts (hydroalcoholic or produce different amounts of alkaloids, out of which root
dichloromethane-methanol) have been reported in laboratory bark produces the maximum i.e. nearly 1.79%. There are a
animals [14]. number of reports supporting its anti-microbial activity
against Staphylococcus albusi, Bacillus megatarium,
Anti-diarrheal property Shigella, Pseudomonas, etc. Its anti-oxidant and anti-
The anti-diarrheal activity of the plant ethanolic leaf extracts mutagenic effects have also been reported. Further studies
as tested in the wistar rats with castor oil as a experimental need to be done to explore its anti-tumour effects.
diarrhea inducing agent in addition to the pretreatment of the
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