International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology

Vol-6, Issue-5; Sep-Oct, 2021

Journal Home Page Available: https://ijeab.com/

Journal DOI: 10.22161/ijeab

Medicinal plant: Garcinia spp.

Gitanjali Devi

Department of Nematology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785013, Assam, India

Received: 02 Sep 2021; Received in revised form: 27 Sep 2021; Accepted: 04 Oct 2021; Available online: 10 Oct 2021
©2021 The Author(s). Published by Infogain Publication. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Abstract— Garcinia is a tropical fruit tree with promising pharmacological properties. This review
presents an overview of the bioactive compounds derivative from Garcinia fruits and their biological
activities for promoting human health as food and medicine.
Keywords— Medicinal plant, Garcinia spp., Therapeutic properties, phytochemical properties.

I. INTRODUCTION II. MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF GARCINIA

Plants are considered as the great reservoir of structurally The fruits of Garcinia have been used since ancient times
diverse bioactive molecules such as phenolics, terpenoids, in traditional medicinal practices. These species provide a
carotenoids, anthocyanins and flavonoids which are having rich natural source of bioactive compounds with relevant
therapeutic values and are useful in the treatment of therapeutic properties and anti-inflammatory effects, for
various ailments. Now-a-days these bioactive molecules the treatment of skin disorders, wounds, ulcers, dysentery,
are widely used in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics pain, infections, fever, cough, bronchitis, asthma,
industries (Hosakatte et al., 2018). rheumatoid arthritis, obesity and having antioxidant,
Garcinia is a polygamous tropical tree or shrub under antiaflatoxigenic anti-inflammatory, leishmanicidal, and
Clusiaceae family. It consists of 250 species, out of which antiprotozoal activities (Joseph et al.,2005; Ali et al.,2017
about 30 species are indigenous to India. Garcinia ;Espirito et al.,2020).
pedunculata (Amlavethasa), G. cowa, and G.Morella
(Indian gamboge) are grown in North-Eastern parts of III. PHYTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF
India and Andaman Islands (Negi et al.,2008; Sharma and SOME SPECIES OF GARCINIA
Devi,2015; Murthy et al., 2020). Garcinia are rich source
Garcinia are rich sources of fiber, total phenols, and
of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibers. It has
natural antioxidants with high amount of ascorbic acids
the folklore claims such as rejuvenator, cardio tonic,
.Extracts of the pericarp, epicarp, and seeds of Garcinia
asthma, obesity and arthritis. The mature fruit is eaten
have demonstrated the phytochemicals such as pedunculol,
cooked or raw and also for pickle preparation.
garcinol, cambogin 3 and hydroxyl citric acid. Bennet and
Garcinia pedunculata is an evergreen tree. The tree is Lee (1989) and Rao et al.(1974;1980) have isolated the
endemic to the south eastern regions of Asia such as parts bioactive compounds namely benzoquinones, triterpenes
of Myanmar and North-Eastern parts of India. The tree has and anthocyanins. Garcinol, being rich in derivates of
a fluted trunk with short spreading branches. Leaves are poly-isoprenylated benzophenones, polyphenols,
lanceolate with prominent mid ribs. Male flowers are light bioflavonoids (kolaviron, volkensiflavone, fukugetin) and
green in sparsely flowered panicles, the female flowers are xanthones (Sarma et al.,2016). Xanthones are the major
solitary. The fruit is round with a diameter ranging class of phenolic compounds in Garcinia species, followed
between 8cm and 12cm. It has a juicy interior with edible by benzophenones and biflavonoids. Xanthones have
arils. The mature G. pedunculata fruit is greenish yellow demonstrated effects against human cervical cancer, lung
and is consumed as a vegetable. cancer cells, and hepatocellular carcinomas (Vo et al.,
2015). These compounds have been associated with
biological activities such as free-radical scavenging,

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Dennis Gayi et al. International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology, 6(5)-2021

antiulcer effects, cytotoxicity, inhibition of nitric oxide cardiac glycosides. The high phenolic content was
synthase, chemoprevention of cancer, induction of observed in the methanol extract of leaf followed by
apoptosis, anti-HIV, and trypanocidal effects (Hung et methanol extract of stem and dichloromethane extract of
al.,2015; Fu et al.,2017). These compounds exhibiting a leaf.
wide range of pharmacological activities such as Antimicrobial and free radical scavenging xanthones from
antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumour-promoting, the latex of G. cowa (Mahabusarakam et al., 2005; Na
cytotoxic, etc. (Jayaprakasha et al., 2006; Mundugaru et Pattalung et al.,1994; Auranwiwat et al.,2014), and
al., 2014;Adegoke et al.,1998; Asano et al.,1996; Bakana antimalarial xanthones (Likhitwitayawuid et al.,1998 ;)
et al., 1987; Iinuma et al., 1996;Mackeen et al., 2000; Fu from the stem bark of G. cowa have been reported.
et al.,2014; Minami et al.,1994;1995;1996; Islam et
A polyisoprenylated benzophenone known as garcinol
al.,2015 ;Paul et al.,2017).Crude extracts as well as
isolated from stem bark of G. huillensis has been shown to
partially purified compounds from different parts of some
possess chemotherapeutical activity against Gram-positive
species of Garcinia plants have shown potential
and Gram negative cocci .
antibacterial activities against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus
coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Alpha-mangostin, rubraxanthone and xanthochymol
Escherichia coli. isolated from G. mangostana, G. diocia and G.
subelliptica, respectively, showed strong antibacterial
Some prominent Garcinia species are known to have
activity (Iinuma et al., 1996).
good medicinal value and fruit extract has traditionally
very well known for treatments of various diseases (Deore Crude extracts of leaves, fruits, root, stem and trunk bark
et al., 2011). of G. atroviridis exhibited antibacterial (Mackeen et al.,
2000).
G. pedunculata was estimated to contain moisture 88.20%,
protein 0.50%, 𝛽 carotene 45.00mg/100 g, vitamins
(thiamine 0.03, riboflavin 0.02, and ascorbic IV. INDUSTRIAL RELEVANCE
acid142.83mg/100 g, resp.), minerals (sodium 1.80,
This traditional medicines are assuming greater important
potassium106.00, calcium 18.00, magnesium 23.00, iron
because of its effective, safer, locally available and no side
0.08, zinc0.15, copper 0.12, and phosphorus 17.00mg/100
effects and more reliable medicine than synthetically
g), phenolics(19.45mg gallic acid/100 g), and flavonoids
produced drugs. Garcinia extracts can be utilized as
(18.33mg rutin/g).The dried fruit rinds and pericarp of G.
nutraceuticals and as food biopreservatives which could be
pedunculata have been reported to contain some
developed into value added products or medicine (Acuna
benzophenones, pedenculol, hydroxy citric acid, garcinol,
et al., 2012; Biswas et al., 2017). To produce potentially
and cambogin , some of which are strong antioxidants
more active and safer drugs the plant-derived compounds
(Sahu et al., 1989; Mudoi et al.,2012; Ravi et al.,2014;
should be isolated which could improve the economy of
Sarma et al.,2015; Mundugaru et al.,2019). This fruit
pharmaceutical industries.
extract is reported to possess a variety of pharmacological
benefits including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory,
hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective properties V. CONCLUSION
(Kagyung et al., 2010; Mundugaru et al.,2014,2016; Ali et
Though the fruits of G. cowa and G. pedunculata are
al., 2017). The aqueous extract of Garcinia pedunculata,
underutilized, recent year the interests in research activities
exhibited significant neuroprotection against AlCl3
in the fields of chemistry and pharmacology has arisen in
induced neurotoxicity (Mundugaru et al., 2016, 2017).
exploiting on the fruit species. The advanced technology
In traditional system of medicine the leaves of G. for isolation of the bioactive compounds from plants is
lancifolia are used as stomachic and diuretic.The acidic very important as it could help in structural modifications
fruits are used to prepare juice, pickle and curries. G. of the synthetic products from the fruits. Based on the
lancifolia is used as stomachic, diuretic and its fruit is used mechanism and mode of action of these plants it is
to cure dysentery and diarrhoea. The bark of G. confirmed the curative and therapeutic effectiveness of the
lanceifolia has also been reported to contain prominent plant. Hence, much research effort on crop improvement
antibacterial and anthelmintic potential (Chowdhury and and physiologically active components is needed.
Handique, 2012;Bora et al.,2014a; 2014b). The
phytochemical analysis of different extracts of G.
lancifolia leaf, stem and fruit revealed the presence of
tannins, saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids and REFERENCES

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