Jatropha curcas: From Biodiesel Generation to Medicinal Applications

Abstract

Jatropha curcas (JC) is a multipurpose perennial plant that belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family and is native to arid and semiarid tropical regions worldwide. It has many attributes and considerable potential for renewable energy, fish and livestock feeding. Despite its rich application as a renewable source and for animal feeding, JC has barely been explored for its medicinal potential. Here we review several patents related to JC that show it has been underused for medicinal purposes. For example, only one invention disclosure to date utilizes JC, combined with three other plants, in a preparation for wound healing. Motivated by support from the Brazilian funding agencies and anecdotal accounts in Brazil of the medicinal value of JC, we performed a series of pilot studies that demonstrate that JC is able to protect skeletal muscle cells in vitro against the deleterious effects of ethanol. We were able to determine that JC's effects are mediated by the up regulation of HSP60, a critical mitochondrial heat shock related protein that is essential for intracellular REDOX regulation. Given the fact that ethanol myopathy accounts for more than 50% of all cases of myopathy worldwide, we hope that our studies will sparkle new interest from the scientific community to explore the medicinal properties of Jatropha curcas, including the development of new patents leading to new drugs and new targets for the treatment of muscle diseases and other human diseases.

Thermodynamic and kinetic modeling of the protection of mammalian cells against ethanol‐induced damage by extracts of Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae)

“…At a cellular level, such interactions include the binding of Et to open ion channels . The results obtained here were similar to the antioxidant effects of extracts from this same plant . A very large number of plants used in traditional medicine exert therapeutic effects, the mechanisms of which have yet to be explored at the molecular level and this represents a formidable challenge for investigators .…”

“…36 The results obtained here were similar to the antioxidant effects of extracts from this same plant. 3,5,15 A very large number of plants used in traditional medicine exert therapeutic effects, the mechanisms of which have yet to be explored at the molecular level and this represents a formidable challenge for investigators. 38 The theoretical approach described in this work could provide a powerful tool to assist in the isolation and characterization of plant products with relevant biological activity.…”

“…Jatropha curcas is a tropical medicinal plant with significant anti‐inflammatory, antiretroviral, and antibiotic activities and is grown commercially on farms in areas of low to high precipitation . Jatropha curcas has monoecious flowering that is characterized by the absence of an articulated peduncle.…”

A comprehensive view of the web-resources related to sericulture

“…For instance, fruits of Morus alba (mulberry) are a great source of nutrients and anti-oxidants ( 55 ). Jatropha is more popular as a biofuel crop and most of the molecular and genetic research has been focused on that aspect ( 56 ). Similarly, Ricinus communis is known for the production of castor oil having applications as lubricant, food, medicine, etc.…”

Rapid Isolation and Purification of Phorbol Esters from Jatropha curcas by High-Speed Countercurrent Chromatography

“…Jatropha curcas L. has become an energy crop for the production of biodiesel. − In addition, it has been widely investigated as an animal feed and as a medicine and traditional medicine − because of its highly attractively biological activities. However, the primary poisonous components, phorbol esters (PEs) present in J.…”