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Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2012; Vol. 2: Issue 3, Pg 83-86 [AJPTech.]
83
ISSN- 2231–5705 (Print) www.asianpharmaonline.org
ISSN- 2231–5713 (Online)
REVIEW ARTICLE
A Review on Ceiba pentandra and its medicinal features
A. Elumalai*, Nikhitha Mathangi, Adarsh Didala, Raju Kasarla, Yetcharla Venkatesh Department of Pharmacognosy, Anurag Pharmacy College, Ananthagiri (v), Kodad(M), Nalgonda (Dt), Andhra
Pradesh, India, 508 206.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT: Herbal drugs are traditional method of treating the diseases in worldwide, the plant having ability to treat the diseases
also known as medicinal plant. Several types of medicinal plants are breathing in the nature and effective in different
type of diseases. In traditional systems of medicine, different parts (leaves, stems, roots and even whole plant) of
Ceiba pentandra have been recommended for the treatment of bronchitis, diabetics, diarrhoea, dysentery, skin
diseases, arthritis, painful eye diseases, chronic fever, insect bite etc. All parts of this plant have numerous therapeutic
activities for the treatment of a variety of diseases. It is known as a rich source of tannins, flavonoids and glycosides.
This review highlights the use of Ceiba pentandra for the treatment of different disorders and presents the author’s
approach to the scientific assessment on Ceiba pentandra as potential source of therapeutic agents.
KEYWORDS: Ceiba pentandra, diabetics, diarrhoea, review.
INTRODUCTION: Ceiba pentandra (L) Gaertner (Malvaceae), known as silk
cotton tree or locally as dum is widely reputed in the
African traditional medicine1. Various morphological parts
of the plant have been reported to be useful as effective
remedies against diabetes, hypertension, headache,
dizziness, constipation, mental diseases, fever, peptic ulcer
and leprosy. It is also used as diuretics and to expel evil
spirits. The bark contains a blackish mucilaginous gum,
which swells in water and resembles tragacanth2. Folk
medicines in Nigeria use the bark for the treatment of
infections. It is astringent and is used in India and Malaya
for bowel complaints. The bark is believed to also contain
tannin. In West Africa, it is generally used in the treatment
of diarrhoea.
Received on 18.05.2012 Accepted on 28.06.2012
© Asian Pharma Press All Right Reserved Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2(3): July-Sept. 2012; Page 83-86
Botanical Study
Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Angiosperms
Class Eudicoids
Order Malvales
Family Malvaceae
Genus Ceiba
Species Ceiba pentandra Linn
Description
Very large, deciduous tree up to 60 m tall, with roots
spreading quite horizontally, 10 m or longer, in the upper
40–80cm of the soil; bole branchless for up to 35 m,
straight, usually cylindrical, up to 200-240cm in diameter,
branches whorled, dimorphic, branches usually in whorls of
3, horizontal or ascending, older branches often spiny.
Leaves alternate, digitately compound, with 5–9–15
leaflets; stipules linear to narrowly triangular, up to 1 cm
long, caducous, leaving scars; petiole (3.5–)5–27 cm long,
thickened at base, apex expanded into an almost circular
disk; petiolules up to 3 cm long; leaflets sessile, obovate to
elliptical, (3.5–5–21cm × (1–)2–6.5cm, cuneate at base,
acuminate at apex, entire or sometimes slightly toothed at
margin, glabrous, pinnately veined with lateral veins in 7–
18(–20) pairs, inflorescence in axillary with 1–15-flowered.
Flowers bisexual, 5-merous, regular, strongly but
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84
unpleasantly scented; pedicel 2–5(–8)cm long; calyx
campanulate, 9–15mm × 11–14mm, lobes rounded to nearly
acute, glabrous outside, hairy inside; petals united at base,
oblong-spatulate, 22–46mm × 6–13mm, pink, creamy
yellow or white, hairy outside, glabrous inside; stamens 5–
15, united at base in a staminal column, dividing into 5(–6)
branches 2.5–5cm long; ovary semi-inferior, 3–6 mm in
diameter, 5-celled, style 2.5–4cm long. Fruit a pendulous,
oblong-ellipsoid capsule 7.5–30(–60) cm × 3–15cm,
dehiscing with 5 valves (‘shells’) or indehiscent, smooth-
valved, brown when ripe, many-seeded. Seeds almost
globose, 4–6mm in diameter, glabrous, dark brown or
black, embedded in copious white or greyish floss.
Traditional uses
Ceiba pentandra bark decoction has been used as
a diuretic, aphrodisiac, and to treat headache, as well
as type II diabetes.
Pharmacological actions
Anti-fungal activity
Nwachukwu et al had reported the anti-fungal properties of
alcohol and water extracts of Cymbopogon citratus, Ceiba
pentandra and Loranthus bengwelensis by disc diffusion
and agar dilution techniques. Results showed that all the
extracts inhibited the growth of standard and local strains of
the organisms used, namely Epidermophyton flocosum,
Microsporum canis, Trichopyton rubrum and Candida
albicans. Some of the extracts had fungicidal effects while
others had fungistatic effect on the organisms. The
treatments were significantly different (P = 0.05). The
minimum inhibitory concentration of the extracts against
the tested microorganisms ranged between 150mg/ml and
50mg/ml. Comparisons were made with ketoconazole at
1mg/ml. The alcohol extracts were found to be generally
more effective than the water extract for C. pentandra while
the reverse was the case for the C. citratus and L.
bengwelensis extracts. (P = 0.05). The presence of saponins
and phenols were inferred as being responsible for the anti-
fungal properties of the extracts3.
Anti-diarrhoeal activity
Suke et al had reported the antidiarrhoeal activity in
methanolic extract of the stem bark of Ceiba pentandra by
using castor oil-induced diarrhoea and intestinal transit time
models in mice. The phytochemical studies of the
methanolic extract revealed the presence of saponins,
flavonoids, tannins, terpenes, resins and carbohydrates. The
extract showed significant (p< 0.05) protection against
castor oil-induced diarrhoea at (1000mg/kg) but no
significant delay in intestinal transit time was observed. The
median lethal dose (LD50) of the methanolic extract was
found to be greater than 5000mg/kg which suggested that
the extract was non toxic at the antidiarrhoeal dose of
1000mg/kg. The results indicate that the methanolic extract
contains compounds with antidiarrhoeal activity4.
Anti-ulcer activity
Bhushan et al had reported the anti ulcer activity on
methanolic extract of Ceiba pentandra roots on Ethanol
(EtOH)-induced ulcer and Pylorus ligated (PL)-induced
ulcers in rats. Here ranitidine (50 mg/kg. body wt p.o.) used
as standard drug. Gastric ulcers were produced in rats by
pylorus-ligation and by administering Ethanol (EtOH,
400%, 1ml/200 g, 1 h). Histopathological studies were
carried out on stomach tissue. The oral administration of
MCP at 200 and 400 mg/kg in (PL) induced ulcer model
significantly decreased the index of gastric lesion in both
ulcer induced model. The result indicated a dose- dependent
antiulcerogenic activity in C. Pentandra5.
Hepatoprotective activity
Bairwa et al had reported the protective activity of ethyl
acetate fraction of methanol extract of stem bark of Ceiba
pentandra against paracetamol-induced liver damage in
rats. The ethyl acetate fraction (400 mg/kg) was
administered orally to the rats with hepatotoxicity induced
by paracetamol (3 gm/kg). Silymarin (100 mg/kg) was used
as positive control. A significant (P < 0.05) reduction in
serum enzymes GOT (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase
(AST), GPT alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin
content and histopathological screening in the rats treated
gave indication that ethyl acetate fraction of methanolic
extract of Ceiba pentandra possesses hepatoprotective
potential against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in
rats6.
Anthelminthic activity
Diehl et al had reported the anthelmintic activity on Sixty
plant species were collected in the Ivory Coast on the basis
of an ethnobotanical literature using the following three
criteria: activity against worms, diarrhoea and/or abdominal
pain. Eighty six plant extracts were prepared using 90%
ethanol and tested for potential anthelminthic activities with
a larvicidal test of Haemonchus contortus. 25.6% of the
extracts showed a high activity, 12.8% were active or
marginally active and the remaining 61.6% were inactive.
The results suggest the traditional uses of different parts of
Ceiba pendantra like bark, leaf, and root showed for wound
healing and diarrhoea disorders7.
Angiogenesis activity
Byung-Zun et al had reported the angionensis activity on 58
plant materials from Vietnamese medicinal plants showed
strong to moderate inhibitory activity on the tube-like
formation induced by human umbilical venous endothelial
cells in the in vitro angiogenesis assay. These plant
materials include the herb ofEphedra sinica, leaves and
stem of Ceiba pentandra, seed of Coix lachryma-jobi,
rhizome of Drynaria fortunei, fruits and stem of Illicium
verum and stem of Bombax ceiba. of these, the methanol
extracts of the herb of Ephedra sinica and stem of Ceiba
pentandra exhibited the strongest activities with inhibition
percentages of 89.3% and 87.5% at 30 and 100µg/mL,
respectively8.
Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2012; Vol. 2: Issue 3, Pg 83-86 [AJPTech.]
85
Anti inflammatory activity
Bohlin et al had isolated and reported the anti-inflammatory
activity of two new isoflavone glucoside vavain 3¢-O-â-D-
glucoside (1) and its aglycon, vavain (2), from the bark of
Ceiba pentandra, together with the known flavan-3-ol, (+)-
catechin. These novel structures were elucidated by one-
and two-dimensional NMR experiments and by MS, IR,
and UV spectroscopy as 5-hydroxy-7,4¢,5¢-
trimethoxyisoflavone 3¢-O-â-D-glucoside (1) and 5,3¢-
dihydroxy-7,4¢,5¢-trimethoxyisoflavone (2), respectively.
The compounds were isolated following bioactivity-
directed fractionation, using a cyclooxygenase-1-catalyzed
prostaglandin biosynthesis assay in vitro, in which
compounds 1 and 2 and (+)-catechin exhibited IC50 values
of 381, 97, and 80 íM, respectively (standard:
indomethacin, IC50 1.1 íM). When further tested for their
inhibitory effects on cyclooxygenase-2-catalyzed
prostaglandin biosynthesis, 1 and 2 were found to be
inactive (IC50 > 1200 and >900 íM, respectively)9.
Hypoglycaemic activity
Rehman et al had reported the hypoglycaemic effect of
Ceiba pentandra root bark extract in normal and alloxan
induced diabetic rats. 40 albino rats were included in this
study divided into four groups of ten rats in each group.
Group A and B rats were normal while diabetes was
induced in group C and D rats by intraperitoneal injection
of alloxan dissolved in 1mL of distilled water at a dose of
125mg/kg body weight. The Ceiba pentandra root bark
extract was given orally at a dose of 150mg/kg of body
weight. Data was taken after seven days of administration
of alloxan. After the induction of diabetes the group B and
D rats were treated with Ceiba pentandra root bark extract
at a dose of 150mg/kg of body weight. Group A and C rats
were not treated with Ceiba pentandra root bark extract.
The blood samples from all the rats were collected from
coccygial vein on 1st day, then on 21st and 42nd day
respectively. All the samples were analyzed for blood
glucose level by using enzymatic kits. The blood glucose
level of treated groups of rats showed significant reduction
after 7 weeks of treatment with Ceiba pentandra root bark
extract. By statistical analysis of results it was found that
Ceiba pentandra root bark extract has hypoglycaemic effect
in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats10
.
Hypolipidaemic activity
Aloke et al had reported the hypoglycaemic and
hypolipidaemic effects of feed prepared with Ceiba
pentandra leaves was investigated in alloxan induced
diabetic rats. Twenty five (25) wistar albino male rats
weighing 105-162g assigned into 5 groups (I-V) of 5 rats
per group were investigated. Diabetes was induced in
Groups I-IV by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (200
mg/Kg body weight) while rats in group V were normal.
While animals in groups I, II and III received experimental
feeds containing 10 %, 15 % and 20 % dry powdered leaves
of Ceiba pentandra respectively, for a period of three (3)
weeks, those in groups IV and V received normal rat feeds
and acted as diabetic and nondiabetic controls respectively.
In addition to plasma glucose, plasma lipids {total
cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (Tg), high density lipoprotein
(HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density
lipoproteins (VLDL)}, total protein and albumin were
determined by standard laboratory techniques. Plasma
glucose was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) lower in
the treated rats when compared with the controls, with feed
containing 20 % of the leaves having the greatest effect. All
the groups showed increases in body weight, which was
least in group that received 20 % of the experimental feed.
However while HDL was elevated (p < 0.05) in the treated
animals, LDL, VLDL and Tg showed significant (p <0.05)
decreases. Also total protein and albumin were elevated (p
> 0.05) in the treated groups compared with the controls.
The result therefore demonstrates that C. Pentandra leaves
at moderate concentrations, exert both hypoglycaemic and
hypolipidaemic effects in alloxan induced diabetic rats in a
dose dependent fashion. Therefore, C. pentandra leaves
could be of importance in the treatment of diabetes and its
associated complications such as coronary artery disease11
.
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86
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The extensive literature survey revealed that Ceiba
pentandra is important medicinal plant with diverse
pharmacological spectrum. The plant shows the presence of
many chemical constituents which are responsible for
varied pharmacological and medicinal property. The
evaluation needs to be carried out on Ceiba pentandra in
order to uses and formulation of the plant in their practical
clinical applications, which can be used for the welfare of
the mankind.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Author was gratefully thank to Mrs. Chandramathi for her
support
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