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Review Article
ISSN: 0974-6943
INTRODUCTION
Chanka piedra (Phyllanthus niruri Linnaus., Euphorbiaceae), is sparsely
spread throughout the tropical and subtropical countries of the world. This
is an annual herb and widely spread in coastal areas of India. It is used in the
Indian ayurvedic systems from the ancient times (more than 2000 years), It
is having very short life. P.niruri is a field weed and its genus Phyllanthus
comprises of 600-700 species with minor distinguishing features among
them. In Indian ayurvedic system Phyllanthus niruri plant extract is used as
a medicine and is recommended for Bronchitis, Anaemia, Leprosy, Asthma,
Urinary disorders etc., In Chraka Samhita book P. niruri is used in effective
treatment of asthma, stimulating liver, improving digestion, increase apetite
and produce laxative effects. Maharshi Charaka has categorized it as
Kasahara: alleviates cough, Swasahara: relieves asthma, mootrarogahara:
cures urinary disorders, Kaphapittahara: relieves the kaphapitta dosha,
Kaamalaahara: cures jaundice, and Bhava prakasa Nighantu: cures cough
and blood disorders. It is bitter in taste but sweet in the post digestive
effect (vipaka) and it is also used as astringent.
Sidha medicinal uses
1.
For jaundice: The whole plant juice with 10-20ml of dose is
recommended three times daily.
2.
The fresh roots (10gms) powder is mixed with fresh milk. This is
recommended to take in the early mornings for effective cure for
jaundice.
3.
The leaves were crushed with salt and applied for skin diseases.
4.
The plant decoction was very effective for diabetes and chest
pain.
5.
The decoction of leaves or roots is used for ulcers.
6.
The dried powder of the plant mixed with gruel water is applied
over ulcers and wounds.
7.
The juice of whole plant can be taken as a dose of 45-50 ml in the
early morning for leucorrhea, gonorrhea, menorrhea and other
urinary complains.
*Corresponding author.
Dr. A. Krishna Satya
Assistant Professor
Department of Biotechnology
Acharya Nagarjuna University
Nagarjuna Nagar, Guntur-522510,
A.P. India
In Unani medicine the roots of this plant are used for the remedy of liver
diseases and seeds were used in the treatment of ulcers, wounds and scabies
& ring worms.
The extract of this plant can cure Hepatitis very effectively [83] and it can be
a remedy for HIV-AIDS [48]. P.niruri is having various properties like antiinflammatory [76], anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial [21], anti-oxidant [3,8,30],
hepatoprotective [ 5 6 ], hypoglycemic [77,28], hypotensive, analgesic [7,57],
inhibitory effect on renal stone formation [20] etc., P.niruri is used as an
ingredient of almost 175 ayurvedic formulations, the fruits of this plant is
commonly used in the treatment of hemorrhages, diarrheas, dysentery,
jaundice, cough and anaemia. It is also used in the preparation of various
health care and personal products like chavanprash, hair oil dye, face cream,
tooth powder [55].
The aqueous infusions of the whole plant is employed as a stomachic,
appetite, anti-spasmodic, laxative, diuretic [80] , carminative, against
constipation, fever including malaria, hepatitis B[70], dysentery, gonorrhea,
syphilis, tuberculosis, cough, diarrhea, vaginitis [44, 47].
Majorly scientists focused on hepatoprotective activity of P.niruri, the
hepatoprotective effects of crude methanol and aqueous extracts against
CCl4 induced liver damage in rats have been investigated [24]. The hexane
fractions of extract reported to be hepatoprotective against CCl4 and Gal N
induced cytotoxicity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes [60], radical
scavenging activity along with the hepatoprotective activity was found in
aqueous extract of this plant [12].
The Phyllanthus niruri fresh root is believed to be an excellent remedy for
jaundice, dropsy and genitor urinary infections [13, 78, 83]. P.niruri promote
stone elimination in patients with kidney stones, as well as normalization
of Ca levels in hypercalciuric patients [43] so it is best familiar remedy for
gall stones & kidney stones in the continent [75]. The extract shows an
inhibitory effect on CaOx growth & aggregation in invitro model of
crystallization [10]. The fruits are used in treatment of tubercular ulcers,
wounds, sores, scabies & ring worms [1].
4681-4691
4681-4691
Compound
01.
Country
Names
01.
02.
03.
04.
05.
06.
07.
08.
09.
10.
Admiralty Islands
Bangladesh
Bimini
Brazil
Colombia
East Indies
Fiji
French Guiana
Haiti
India
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Mexico
Papua
Paraguay
Peru
Philippians
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Puerto Rico
Sudan
Thailand
Virgin Islands
West Indies
H 3C O
4 -m e tho x y -no r- se cu ri n
O
02.
O
H
N ir u rin
03.
n o r - se c u r i n
04.
CO
CO
7'
O C H3
O C H3
8'
3
6'
2'
3'
5'
O C H3
4'
O CH
P h y lla n t h in
05.
6
Leaf (02)
7'
8 '
Alkaloid
Benzenoid
Coumarin
Flavonoid
05.
Lignin
06.
07.
08.
09.
10.
Lipid
Phytallate
Sterol
Tannin
Triterpene
6 '
O CH
2 '
3'
5'
O CH
4'
OC H
N ir a n t h in
06.
H3 CO
H3 CO
7'
Leaves (63)
OH
O CH3
8'
9'
1'
2'
3'
5'
1'
Compounds
4-Methoxy-nor-securinine, nirurin, ent-norsecurin
Gallic acid, Corilagin
Ellagic acid, ethyl brevifolin carboxylate
Quercetin, rutin, astragalin, quercitrin,
isoquercitrin, kaempferol-4-rhamnopyranoside,eridictyol-7rhamnopyranoside, fisetin-4-O-glucoside, nirurin
Phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin, niranthin,
nirtetralin, phyltetralin, hinokinin, isolintetralin
Ricinoleic acid
Phyllester
Estradiol, -sitosterol, isopropyl-24-cholesterol
Geranin
Lupeol acetate, lupeol, 3,7,11,15,19,23hexamethyl-2Z,6Z,10Z,14E,18E, 22E-tetracoshenen1- ol, phyllanthenol, phyllanthenone, phyllantheol
O CH
9'
C H
OC H 3
4'
01.
02.
03.
04.
9'
1'
6'
Class
Roots (87)
Phytochemistry
Phyllanthus niruri plant shows significant activities on various diseases in
many ways and it was essentially evaluated and analyzed.
S.No
Whole plant(87)
OC H 3
S e c o - is ola r ic ir e s in ol tr im e th y l e th e r
O CH3
07.
Leaves (63)
2
7'
O CH3
8'
9'
HO
CH3
1'
6'
2'
3'
5'
O CH3
4'
O CH3
H yd r oxy N i ra nt h i n
O
08.
6
5
4
3
OCH
7'
8'
9'
O CH
O CH
Aerial parts(64)
1'
6'
2'
3'
5'
H 3C O
OCH
4'
O H
N i rp h y lli n
4681-4691
09.
OH
Leaves (65)
7'
9'
1'
6'
8'
7'
2'
O CH
6'
3'
O CH3
4'
6
10.
O C H3
OC OC H 3
Is o l in t e t r a l in
Leaves(65)
7'
OC OC H 3
8'
9'
6'
1'
1
2
3'
OC H 3
4'
OC H 3
6
5
18.
7'
O C H3
7'
11.
1'
6'
Plant(86)
2'
3'
OC H 3
O C H3
8'
4'
1'
6'
9'
O C H3
9'
C H3
OC H 3
8'
5'
2
H3 C O
OC H 3
2'
5'
H3 C O
Plant(23)
2'
5'
2 , 3- d e s m e th ox y s e c o - i s ol i n te tr al i n
O
O CH
9'
O C H3
4'
1'
3'
5'
O CH
OH
8'
17.
O CH 3
Leaves(65)
2'
3'
5'
O CH
Other lignans
Compound
4'
O CH
S.No
L in n an th in
HO
12.
HO
7'
OH
9
OC H 3
H 3 CO
Leaves(65)
OC H 3
8'
O CH 3
19.
CH3
Leaves(63)
O CH 3
9'
1'
H 3 CO
6'
2'
3'
5'
OC H 3
4'
OC H 3
D e m e th yl e n e d i oxy ni r an th in
O
O
S.No
Aryltetralin lignans
Compound
H 3C O
13.
OC H
20.
4
3
OC H
8'
7'
9'
1'
6'
2'
3'
5'
OCH
4'
O CH
O CH3
3
O CH3
D i be n z y l b u t y r o la c to ne
H p o p h y ll a n t h i n
6
O
14.
O CH3
2
O
Leaves(63)
2
O
4
3
7'
O CH3
21.
O CH3
8'
9'
1'
6'
2'
5'
3'
O
O
OC H 3
4'
O CH3
N i r t et r a l in
6
H 3 CO
H 3C O
15.
O
9
OC H 3
2
3
7'
H in o k in in
OC H 3
8'
9'
1'
6'
2'
3'
5'
OH
OC H 3
4'
OC H 3
P h y lt et r a lin
6
H 3C O
22.
OCH
OCH
2
H 3C O
4
3
7'
16.
8'
2'
5'
3'
Plant(64)
9'
1'
6'
OCH3
Leaves(85)
Phylnirurin
4'
O
L in t et r a li n
4681-4691
Compound
OH HO
HO
30.
Source and Reference
OH
Plant(19)
HO
OH
OH
O
23.
Root Culture(66)
HOOC
OH
O CH2
OH
OH
O
O
OH
O
O
OH
H
Gallic acid
OH
HO
HO
CH 2
O
O
OH
24.
HO
Plant(66)
CH 3
OH
OH
P h y lla nt hu s i n D
HO
OH
H O
O H
31.
Plant (17)
HO
HO
O
OH
C
O CH
El lag ic acid
C
2
O C
HO OC
25.
O H
Leaves(66)
OH
HO
O
C
O H
O
C
H
O
O
HO
O H
HO
HO
O H
26.
O H
A m a r i in
HO
Leaves(66)
OH
32.
HO
O H HO
OH
HO
Plant (18)
OH
O
OH
O
C
C
O CH2
O
HO
O
OC
O
O
27.
O
C
H 3C OOC
Leaves (72)
H2 C
OH
O
OH
O
C
OH
OH
OH
H OO C
HO
HO
OH
O
HO
O
HO
28.
33.
O H
HO
OH HO
OH
O
C
C
OCH 2
OC
O
C
O H
OH
O
O
O
HO
OH
HO
H O
OH
O
C
H
O
O
C
O H
Plant(18)
OH
O CH2
O
OH
HO
OH
A m a r ii n ic a ci d
HO
Plant 23%(79)
O H
OH
OH
O
OH
H
O
O H
OH
OH
OH
G e r a n iin
Elaeocarpusin
29.
O H HO
HO
OH
HO
Plant(66)
O H
O C H
O CH 2
C
OH
O C
O
O
OH
O H
O O
Plant(18)
O H
OH
HO
H O
OH
34.
O H
HO
O H
O
O H
OH
OH
O H
Co ri lag in
O
C O O H
O H
O H
G e ra n iin ic a c id
4681-4691
HO
OH
HO
HO
35.
OH
Plant(18)
OH
40.
OH
O
C
OCH
O
O C
O
O
C
HO
Root Culture(26)
OH
O
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
HO
E pica tech in
KO O C
H
O H
HO
HOOC
OH
O
O
41.
R e p an d u s in ic ac id
Root Culture(26)
HO
OH
OH
O
HO
OH
O
C
H
OH
H 2C
36.
C
O
C
OCH
Plant(18)
HO
OH
42.
O C
O
O
O
C
Gallo catechin
HO
OH
H
H
O
O H
O
C
Root Culture(26)
OH
OH
OH
O H
HO
E pi g a l l o c a te ch i n
OH
HO
O
OH
O H
OH
A m a r u lo n e
OH
OC
43.
OH
O
C
O
OH
Plant(18)
OH
H
O
OH
OH
O
C
Root Culture(26)
O
OH
HO H 2 C
37.
HO
OH
OH
OH
HO
OH
HO
O
OH
OH
HO
OH
F uro sin
O
OH
HO
OH
OH
44.
Root (26)
O
OH
HO
OH
38.
Plant(18)
OH
C
OH2 C
O
OH
Flavonoids
S.No
Compound
OC
OH
OH
45.
OH
OH
Leaf(42)
HO
OH
O
OH
OH
O
OH
HO
CH3
HO
Q u e r c it r i n
OH
OH
HO
39.
OH
HO
Root Culture(26)
OH
46.
Plant, Leaf(42)
OH
HO
OH
OH
O
O
OH
Cat ec hin
H3 C
O
HO
HO
OH
R u ti n
4681-4691
47.
Leaf(42)
H
HO
OH
Leaf (87)
H
HO
54.
OH
O
OH
HO
HO
As trag a li n
Be ta sitoster ol
OH
OH
48.
Leaf(42)
HO
OH
O
OH
HO
OH
55.
HO
Aerial plant(87)
i so q u erceti n
R1
49.
Leaf(42)
HO
HO
Pharmacological Activity
C
OH
OH
R1=O-alpha-L-(-)Rha (Kaempferol-4-rhamnopyranoside)
OH
OH
50.
R4
C
OH
R4 =O-alpha-L-(-)R ha (eridictyol-7-rhamnopyranoside)
OH
HO
OH
51.
OH
Root(15)
Fiset in
lipids
S.No
Compound
52.
OH
CH3
53.
Plant (87)
H
H
H
OH
HO
E s t r a d io l
4681-4691
4681-4691
15591570.
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4681-4691
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
4681-4691
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
2005;13:15.
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