6.3.6 Boerhavia Diffusa (Family: Nyctaginaceae)
This plant is commonly known as Tarvine, Punarnava, Red Spiderling found in
Asia, Africa, North America, Caribbean, South America, South Pacific region.
Major compounds isolated from Boerhavia diffusa are Boerhavia acid, isoflavonoids (rotenoids), Punarnavine, sitosterol, Boeravinone, palmitic acid, steroids
(ecdysteroid), lignan glycosides, and esters of sitosterol. Boerhavia diffusa showed
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and scavenges free radicals during
oxidative stress (Gacche and Dhole 2006). Two well-characterized immunostimulants isolated from the roots of B. diffusa are Punarnavine and syringaresinol.
Aqueous extracts exhibited significant leukocytosis and lowered the mortality in
E. coli induced abdominal sepsis in mice and reduced stress-induced increase in the
level of glucose and cholesterol. Alkaloid fraction normalizes the plasma cortisol
levels and reduced DTH reactions in animals (Mungantiwar et al. 1999). B. diffusa
extracts enhanced the phagocytic activity of macrophages (Sumanth and Mustafa
2007). B. diffusa is also shown certain adaptogenic effects. The immunomodulatory
activity is attributed to compounds like quercetin, Punarnavine, syringaresinol
mono-b-D-glucoside, etc. Ethanolic extracts of B. diffusa exhibit immunosuppressive properties and reduces the production of TNF-a and IL-2 in human PBMCs,
suppresses human NK cells and the generation of NO in murine macrophages
(Mehrotra et al. 2003). Immunosuppressive action is possibly due to the alkaloid/
lignin compounds. The chloroform and ethanolic extract treatment in RAW 264.7
cell line under LPS stimulation induced NO production, inhibited PHA-induced
proliferation, and production of TNF-a and IL-2 from PBMCs. Eupalitin-3-O-b-Dgalactopyranoside the bioactive compound isolated from ethanolic extracts found to
be most effective (Pandey et al. 2005).
Antiosteoporotic properties are also attributed to Eupalitin (O-methylated
flavone) in addition to its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects.
Therefore, its anti-inflammatory effects are extrapolated for the treatment of rheumatic disorders. Various studies have been performed that show the anticancer
properties of B. diffusa extract. Punarnavine downregulates the expression ERK-1/
2, MMP-2, MMP-9, and VEGF (Manu and Kuttan 2009) and prophylactic as well
as simultaneous administration of punarnavine-reduced lung melanoma metastasis.
It also enhances the production of IL-2 and IFN-c; the activity of NK cells and
showed enhanced ADCC. The level of PINFLCs like IL-1b, IL-6, and TNF-a was
reduced on Punarnavine administration. Extracts of B. diffusa also showed
Cytotoxic effects in tumor cells line Hela (Srivastava et al. 2011). Methanolic
extracts of the whole plant reduced cell viability in MCF-7 cell line, and the cells
were arrested in G0-G1 phase (Sreeja and Sreeja 2009). The methanolic extracts
also inhibit metastasis in B16F10 melanoma in C57BL/6 mice and reduced the
serum parameters of metastasis. Retinoids isolated from the root; Boeravinones G
and H are efflux inhibitors of cancer-resistance protein (ABCG2) (AhmedBelkacem et al. 2007).
240
V. K. Gurjar and D. Pal
This plant is commonly known as Tarvine, Punarnava, Red Spiderling found in
Asia, Africa, North America, Caribbean, South America, South Pacific region.
Major compounds isolated from Boerhavia diffusa are Boerhavia acid, isoflavonoids (rotenoids), Punarnavine, sitosterol, Boeravinone, palmitic acid, steroids
(ecdysteroid), lignan glycosides, and esters of sitosterol. Boerhavia diffusa showed
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and scavenges free radicals during
oxidative stress (Gacche and Dhole 2006). Two well-characterized immunostimulants isolated from the roots of B. diffusa are Punarnavine and syringaresinol.
Aqueous extracts exhibited significant leukocytosis and lowered the mortality in
E. coli induced abdominal sepsis in mice and reduced stress-induced increase in the
level of glucose and cholesterol. Alkaloid fraction normalizes the plasma cortisol
levels and reduced DTH reactions in animals (Mungantiwar et al. 1999). B. diffusa
extracts enhanced the phagocytic activity of macrophages (Sumanth and Mustafa
2007). B. diffusa is also shown certain adaptogenic effects. The immunomodulatory
activity is attributed to compounds like quercetin, Punarnavine, syringaresinol
mono-b-D-glucoside, etc. Ethanolic extracts of B. diffusa exhibit immunosuppressive properties and reduces the production of TNF-a and IL-2 in human PBMCs,
suppresses human NK cells and the generation of NO in murine macrophages
(Mehrotra et al. 2003). Immunosuppressive action is possibly due to the alkaloid/
lignin compounds. The chloroform and ethanolic extract treatment in RAW 264.7
cell line under LPS stimulation induced NO production, inhibited PHA-induced
proliferation, and production of TNF-a and IL-2 from PBMCs. Eupalitin-3-O-b-Dgalactopyranoside the bioactive compound isolated from ethanolic extracts found to
be most effective (Pandey et al. 2005).
Antiosteoporotic properties are also attributed to Eupalitin (O-methylated
flavone) in addition to its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects.
Therefore, its anti-inflammatory effects are extrapolated for the treatment of rheumatic disorders. Various studies have been performed that show the anticancer
properties of B. diffusa extract. Punarnavine downregulates the expression ERK-1/
2, MMP-2, MMP-9, and VEGF (Manu and Kuttan 2009) and prophylactic as well
as simultaneous administration of punarnavine-reduced lung melanoma metastasis.
It also enhances the production of IL-2 and IFN-c; the activity of NK cells and
showed enhanced ADCC. The level of PINFLCs like IL-1b, IL-6, and TNF-a was
reduced on Punarnavine administration. Extracts of B. diffusa also showed
Cytotoxic effects in tumor cells line Hela (Srivastava et al. 2011). Methanolic
extracts of the whole plant reduced cell viability in MCF-7 cell line, and the cells
were arrested in G0-G1 phase (Sreeja and Sreeja 2009). The methanolic extracts
also inhibit metastasis in B16F10 melanoma in C57BL/6 mice and reduced the
serum parameters of metastasis. Retinoids isolated from the root; Boeravinones G
and H are efflux inhibitors of cancer-resistance protein (ABCG2) (AhmedBelkacem et al. 2007).
240
V. K. Gurjar and D. Pal