Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res., 21(1), Jul – Aug 2013; n°53, 314-317 ISSN 0976 – 044X Review Article A Review on Stereospermum colaisMabb: Bignoniaceae S. Prema1* , A. Saraswathi2, K. Chitra1, V. Gopal3 1. Faculty of pharmacy, Sri Ramachandra University, Porur, Chennai-600116, Tamil Nadu, India. 2. Director -in- Charge, Captain Srinivasa Murti Drug Research Institute for Ayurveda (CSMDRIA), (CCRAS) Arumbakkam, Chennai 600 106, Tamil Nadu, India. 3. Professor, Head of the Department and Principal, College of Pharmacy, Academic Registrar, Mother Theresa Institute of Health Sciences, A Government of Puducherry Institution, Indira nagar, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India. * Corresponding author’s E-mail: premspharm@gmail.com Accepted on: 29-04-2013; Finalized on: 30-06-2013. ABSTRACT India is known worldwide for about 45000 plant species and many have been claimed to possess medicinal properties. Stereospermum colais are known for their diuretic, Lithotropic, expectorant, cardio tonic and aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, anti bacterial, febrifuge, tonic, anti emetic, anti pyretic, rheumatalgia, malarial fever, wound, asthma and cough. This review describes the geographical distribution, morphology and taxonomical classification, phytochemical and biological properties of the plant. Keywords: Stereospermum colais, geographical distribution, wound healing. INTRODUCTION GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION S It is commonly found in India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka; in the Western Ghats- South, Central and south Maharashtra Sahyadris2. tereospermum colais is a large straight stemmed deciduous tree 18-30 m in height and 2.8 m in girth found throughout in moist regions of India up to an altitude of about 1200 m, chiefly in deciduous forests1 (figure 1). In English it is known as Yellow snake tree, in Hindi it is padre and in Tamil it is Pathiri. All the parts of the tree are useful in treating many disorders. The leaves are used to treat otalgia, odantalgia, rheumatalgia, malarial fever and wounds. Decoction of the leaves is used as antipyretic and to treat chronic dyspepsia. The root is one of the important ingredients in Dasamula an Ayurvedic formulation. The roots are having bitter, astringent and acrid property. The roots are used as anodyne, appetizer, constipating, diuretic, Lithotropic, expectorant, cardio tonic, aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, anti bacterial, febrifuge tonic, anti emetic, anti pyretic. The decoction of root is used in the treatment of asthma and cough2. BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION Morphology Leaves Leaves compound, imparipinnate, opposite, decussate, to 60 cm long; rachis 6-16.5 cm long, canaliculate, glabrous; leaflets 3-5 pairs, opposite with odd terminal one; petiolule 0.8-1.5 cm long, canaliculate; lamina 5-15 x 2.57.5 cm, elliptic, apex caudate (acumen 1.5-4 cm long) base cuneate to asymmetric, margin entire, chartaceous, glabrous; midrib flat above; secondary nerves 8-10 pairs gradually curved; tertiary nerves weakly percurrent2 (figure 2). Figure 2: Stereospermum colais Mabb leaves Inflorescence / Flower Figure 1: Stereospermum colais Tree Flowers are brownish purple in color, yellow within, Inflorescence lax terminal panicles, petals wooly2 (figure 3). International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research Available online at www.globalresearchonline.net 314 Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res., 21(1), Jul – Aug 2013; n°53, 314-317 ISSN 0976 – 044X Table 1: Taxonomical Classification of Stereospermum 2 colais Kingdom Planate Phylum Magnoliophyta Class Magnoliatae Order Scrophulariales Family Bignoniaceae Genus Stereospermum Botanical name Stereospermum colais Mabb ETHNOBOTANICAL USES Figure 3: Stereospermum colais Mabb flowers Fruit and Seed Capsule, 4-angled, contorted, to 40 cm long; seeds many, 2 winged (figure 4). The ethnobotanical uses of Stereospermum colais are summarized in table 2. Table 2: Ethnobotanical uses of Stereospermum colais2 Parts used Indicators Leaves Otalgia, odantalgia, rheumatalgia, malarial fever, wounds, chronic dyspepsia, anti pyretic Root Bitter, astringent, acrid, anodyne, appetiser, constipating, diuretic, Lithotropic, expectorant, cardio tonic, aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, anti bacterial, febrifuge and tonic, anti emetic, anti pyretic, asthma and cough. Burning sensation, vitiated condition of pitta Flowers and vata, cardiopathy, hiccough and general debility Fruits Vitiated condition of pitta and vata Seeds External application in Hemicrania PHYTOCHEMISTRY Figure 4: Stereospermum colais Mabb fruits OTHER SPECIES OF STEREOSPERMUM SPECIES 3 Twenty four known Stereospermum species are widely distributed in Western Ghats - South, Central and south Maharashtra Sahyadris. The genus Stereospermum is further organized into groups including S. acuminatissimum K.Schum, S. angustifolium Haines, S. annamense Dop, S. arcuatum H.Perrier, S. boivini (Baill.) H.Perrier, S. chelonoides (L.f.) DC., S. cylindricum Pierre ex Dop, S. euphorioides DC., S. fimbriatum (Wall. ex G.Don) DC, S. harmsianum K.Schum., S. kunthianum Cham, S. leonense Sprague, S. longiflorum Capuron, S. nematocarpum (Bojer) DC, S. neuranthum Kurz, S. rhoifolium (Baill.) H.Perrier, S. strigillosum C.Y. Wu & W.C. Yin, S. strigilosum C.Y.Wu, S. tetragonum DC., S. tomentosum H.Perrier, S. undatum H. Perrier, S. variabile H.Perrier S. zenkeri K.Schum. ex De Wild. TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION The taxonomical classification of Stereospermum colais is summarized in table 1.  Two novel 1(17)-methyl anthraquinones, sterequinone-A and -D, their biogenetic precursors sterequinone-B, -C, and a new naphthoquinone sterequinone-E along with a known naphthoquinone, sterekunthal-B, have been isolated from the petroleum ether extract of stem bark of 4 Stereospermum personatum .  Xanthine inhibitory molecules along with new anthraquiniones were isolated from stem and stem 5 bark of Stereospermum personatum  Phytochemical test of crude extract of Stereospermum colais L. revealed the presence of flavonoid, alkaloid, quinones, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, tannins and triterpenoids6. BIOLOGICAL STUDIES Wound healing and antioxidant Stereospermum colais (Bignoniaceae) leaves were extracted successively with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol by continuous hot percolation process and aqueous extract by cold maceration process. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research Available online at www.globalresearchonline.net 315 Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res., 21(1), Jul – Aug 2013; n°53, 314-317 All the ex-tracts were subjected to anti oxidant activity. Chloroform extract showed maximum antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 36µg/ml. Chloroform, ethanol and aqueous extracts were taken for the screening of wound healing activity by excision model. Chloroform and ethanol extract showed significant activity when compared with control and standard. Percentage of wound contraction on 15th day was found to be 96.34 ± 1.64, 95.15 ± 1.54 and 16.6 ± 0.33, 17 ± 0.25. The chloroform and ethanol extracts showed significant wound healing activity. 7 Analgesic activity Vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) of the Stereospermum colais stem bark methanol extract produced 3 fractions A, B, and C while further column chromatography (CC) analyses of the VLC fractions yielded fractions L, S and Y respectively. The fractions are evaluated for possible analgesic activity using the acetic acid and formalin pain tests. Fractions A, B and C (150, 250, and 450 mg/ kg) significantly (p< 0.0001) inhibited abdominal writhes in mice. While fractions L and Y (150 450 mg/ kg) significantly (p<0.0001) inhibited both phases of the formalin-induced pain in mice with a severe effect on the delayed phase than the premature phase. Fraction S at the same doses significantly (p<0.0001) inhibited both phases but with a more marked effect on the premature phase. The results indicate that the VLC and CC fractions of Stereospermum colais may inhibit pain responses mediated via both central and peripherally mechanisms. The present research has confirmed that Stereospermum colais stem bark contains pharmacologically active constituents which possess analgesic activity justifying its popular use in treatment of painful conditions. 8 albicans. The other extracts showed significant inhibition on the growth of fungi. 9 Antidiabetic, Antiperoxidative, and Radical Scavenging Potential Antidiabetic, antiperoxidation, xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition, and radical scavenging activities of acetone and methanol extracts of Stereospermum colais roots were investigated. Protective effects of Stereospermum colais root extract in stabilizing sunflower oil was also examined. The protective effect of acetone (ASC) and methanol (MSC) extracts of Stereospermum colais root for the potential inhibition of α-glucosidase and αamylase enzymes were studied by in vitro method. Glycation inhibitory activity was also studied to inhibit the production of glycated end products. Compared with acarbose, ASC showed a strong inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (IC50 61.21 µg/mL) and a moderate inhibitory activity against α-amylase (IC50 681.08 µg/mL). Glycation inhibitory activity of Stereospermum colais root extracts by using an in vitro glucose-bovine serum albumin (BSA) assay was also done and compared with standard gallic acid. ASC also shows high XO inhibition potential, free radical scavenging activities, and low panisidine value indicates the high medicinal potency of Stereospermum colais root. These results suggest that the extract of Stereospermum colais may be interesting for incorporation in pharmaceutical preparations for human health, since it can suppress hyperglycaemia, and or as food additives due to its antiradical efficiency. 10 REFERENCES 1. Parrota JA. Healing plants of peninsular India. CABI publishing, UK, 173-175, 2001. 2. Warrier pk, Nambiar VPK, Ramankutty C. Indian medicinal plants- A Compendium of 500 species. Orient Longman, Chennai, 5, 2002. 3. WWW. theplantlist.org 4. Kumar US, Aparna P, Rao RJ, Rao TP, Rao JM. 1Methyl anthraquinones and theirbiogenetic precursors from Stereospermum personatum. Phytochemistry, 63(8), 2003 Aug, 925-9. Erratum in: 64(4), 2003 Oct, 907. 5. U. Sampath Kumar, Ashok K. Tiwari, S.Venkat Reddy, P.Aparna, R.Jagadeehwar Rao, A. Zehra Ali, J. maddhusudana Rao. Free radical scavenging and Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory constitutents from Stereospermum personatum. J.Nat.Prod. 68, 2005, 1615-1621. 6. Florida M and Sekar T, Phytochemical investigation of tropical medicinal plants - Stereospermum colais l. And Barringtonia cutangula l. Journal of research in plant sciences, 1(2), 2012, 109-115. 7. R. Vijaya bharathi, B. Kumudha Veni, Jayashree, L. Suseela and M. Thirumal, Antioxidant and Wound healing studies on different extracts of In Vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal The various successive solvent extracts viz., n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, ethanol and water were screened for its antimicrobial activity. The test organisms used for antibacterial study includes fresh clinical strains isolated from pathologic specimens viz., gram (+ve) Coagulase negative Staphylococcus, Entero cocci, Staphylo coccus aureus, and gram (-ve) Acinetobacter, Citrobacter, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aureginosa, Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi. The antibacterial activity was assessed by Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and agar disc diffusion method. The antifungal activity was assessed by MIC. For antifungal activity, the fungi studied were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. Comparison of antibacterial activity was done with standard antibiotic ciprofloxacin (5µg/ disc). The ethanol and chloroform extract showed maximum antibacterial activity followed by ethyl acetate, aqueous and n-hexane. The ethanol extract showed inhibitory effect against all fungi except Aspergillus flavus. Chloroform extract showed activity against Candida ISSN 0976 – 044X International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research Available online at www.globalresearchonline.net 316 Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res., 21(1), Jul – Aug 2013; n°53, 314-317 Stereospermum colais leaf, int. J. Res. Pharm. Sci, 1(4), 2010, 435-439. 8. 9. Pusuloori Rajesh, Raveendra kumar N, Evaluation of Analgesic Activity on Methanolic Extract Fractions of Stereospermum colais Stem Bark. Pharmanest, 2(23), 2011, 244- 250. Vijaya bharathi r, Jerad Suresh, Kumudha Veni, Lata Sriram, Geetha Lakshmi S and Thirumal M, In vitro antibacterial and antifungal studies of ISSN 0976 – 044X Stereospermum colais leaf extracts international journal of pharmacy & technology, 2(3), 2010, 603611. 10. M Priya MP Rani and K P KP Padmakumari ‘In Vitro Studies to Assess the Antidiabetic, Antiperoxidative, and Radical Scavenging Potential of Stereospermum colais’ Pharm Biol, 50(10), 2012, 1254-60. Source of Support: Nil, Conflict of Interest: None. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research Available online at www.globalresearchonline.net 317