Carissa opaca: A plant with great potential for future drugs for degenerative and infectious diseases

Abstract

Emergence of new diseases and development of complications in the old ones, coupled with safety, efficacy and affordability factors associated with existing medicines, have necessitated continuous quest for new remedies. Plants being a virtually unending reservoir of potential bioactive natural products hold great hope for more effective, safer and affordable therapeutic agents. In order to facilitate these studies, it is therefore desirable to publish reviews on medicinal plants. The present review is an effort to cover ethnomedicinal properties and research work done on medicinal plant, Carissa opaca (Apocynaceae), which is traditionally used for a number of purposes, including jaundice, hepatitis, rheumatism and asthma. Pharmacologically, different parts of plant have been studied for various bioactivities, such as, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti‐cancer, anti‐diabetic, antipyretic, anti‐inflammatory, hepatoprotective and cytotoxic. Phytochemical investigations have resulted in the isolation of many natural products including terpenoids and flavonoids. As the extensive literature review suggests, C. opaca holds great promise for novel therapeutic remedies for various degenerative and pathological ailments. More rigorous, in vitro and in vivo, analyses and clinical studies are, therefore, recommended.

Tyrosinase inhibitory activities of Carissa opaca Stapf ex haines roots extracts and their phytochemical analysis

“…In the recent years, many studies, in vitro and in vivo , have been conducted on the plant to explore various bioactivities. [ 8 ] Studies on its roots, however, are limited. Moreover, their AD has not been investigated for any activity so far.…”

“…Carissa opaca (family Apocynaceae ) is a plant well-known for its rich ethnomedicinal uses. [ 8 ] It is an evergreen, thorny shrub that grows wild in the Himalayan mountainous areas of Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. [ 9 ] The leaves of the plant are used as remedy for jaundice, hepatitis, fever, and asthma.…”

“…[ 9 ] The leaves of the plant are used as remedy for jaundice, hepatitis, fever, and asthma. [ 8 ] Its fruit consists of small berries which are edible and are considered to have aphrodisiac properties. Its roots are used to heal wounds and injuries.…”

“…The methanolic extract (ME) of the roots and its fractions have been shown to possess good antioxidant, antimicrobial, and xanthine oxidase and alpha-amylase inhibitory activities. [ 8 ]…”

<i>In Vitro</i> Regeneration of Medicinally Important Shrub <i>Carissa Opaca</i> from Shoot Apices and Nodal Segments

“…The plant is effective in hepatitis and jaundice [1], antipyretic and anticancer effect [2]. Beside these cardioprotective, restorative potency of reproductive hormones, hepatoprotective activity and anti-inflammatory activities are associated with the fruits and leaves while roots are found anti-oxidative in nature [3].…”