A Review on Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth. - An Indian Medicinal Plant

Environment has been an advanced supply of medicinal agents for thousands of years and an impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources, many based on their use in traditional medicine. The use of herbal drugs for the prevention and treatment of different health ailments has been in practice from time immemorial. Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth. is recommended in Ayurvedic texts for prevention and treatment of Anti-arthritic, Antipyretic, Anticonvulsant, Anthelmintic, Anti-microbial, Antiinflammatory, Anti-nociceptive, Antiproliferative and Antioxidant activity. A collection of Mitraphylline, Isomitraphylline, Pteropodine, Isopteropodine, Speciophylline, Uncarine F are the major oxindolic alkaloids isolated from Mitragyna parvifolia leaves. This article briefly reviews the ethnobotanical as well as medicinal uses of Mitragyna parvifolia with plant description. This is an attempt to compile and document information on different aspect of plant and its potential use. Gajendra Pratap Choudhary 1 , Ashutosh Pal Jain 2 1 Division of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, DAVV, Indore, 452001, India. 2 Division of Pharmacology, Bhagyaoday Tirth Pharmacy College, Sagar, 452001, India. Submission: 1 August 2016 Accepted: 7 August 2016 Published: 25 August 2016 www.ijppr.humanjournals.com Citation: Ashutosh Pal Jain et al. Ijppr.Human, 2016; Vol. 7 (1): 175-184. 176 INTRODUCTION The majority of the genus Mitragyna members are trees, shrubs or undershrubs and dispersed throughout the temperate part of the world. Out of total 11 species of Mitragyna, only 7 species are inhabitant in India. Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth. is an economically useful and highly endangered deciduous tree found in well drained deep soil of Indian Thar Desert belonging to the family Rubiaceae. The Indian Thar Desert comprises about 70% part of the Western Rajasthan, incorporating 12 districts. It would become well prove crucial for any attempts of re-establishment and conservation of Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth [1]. Taxonomical Classification Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliatae Order: Rubiales Family: Rubiaceae Genus: Mitragyna Species: Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth. Mitragyna parvifolia is commonly known as Kaim (Eng) Vimpu (Malay), Kayim, Kaddam (Hindi), Vitanah (Sanskrit),Kongu(Kan),Katampai (Tam), and Nerkadamba (Tel). PHARMACOGNOSTIC PROFILE Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth is a medium to large deciduous tree (Fig. 1) with rounded crown mainly arboreal in nature up to 25 m tall. It is found throughout the greater parts of India up to an altitude of 1200 meter. Tree is found scattered in deciduous forests and develops best in well drained deep soil. It is found growing gregariously in low-lying areas close to the river [2]. Leaves simple, opposite, decussate; stipules 1 cm long, interpetiolar, ovate-oblong or obovate, foliaceous, membranous, caducous; petiole 10-40 mm long, stout, grooved above, glabrous; lamina 5-16 cm x 2.5-10 cm (Fig. 2), variable, ovate, orbicular, elliptic or ovate-oblong, base obtuse, attenuate, acute or subcordate, apex obtuse or round; margin entire, glabrous, coriaceous; lateral nerves 6-10 pairs, pinnate, prominent beneath; intercostal scalariform, slender; domatia www.ijppr.humanjournals.com Citation: Ashutosh Pal Jain et al. Ijppr.Human, 2016; Vol. 7 (1): 175-184. 177 present. Flowers bisexual, creamy white, 10-12 mm long, in terminal heads; peduncle supported by a pair of bract like oblong leaves; bracteoles small, subulate; calyx tube short, truncate, rim even; corolla tube funnel shaped, 8 mm long, villous inside, lobes 4-5 oblong, reflexed; stamens 5, attached towards the apex of corolla tube; anthers apiculate; ovary 2-celled, inferior, ovules many; style filiform; stigma mitriform, hollow at base (Fig. 3). Fruit capsules in globose heads, 2-3 mm long, wavy, separating into two cocci, brown; seeds many, small and 10-ribbed. Bark 20-25 mm thick, grey-black, smooth exfoliations thin, unequal and fibrous (Fig. 4); blaze pink, traversed by whitish rays; Branchlets young branchlets angular to subterete, glabrous. Natural reproduction takes place by the scattering of seeds in hot season. Germination takes place in the rainy season. Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth grows exclusively in humid conditions and observation that geographical location and environmental conditions have a crucial role in modifying the alkaloid content and the structure [3]. Fig. 1: Whole Plant Fig. 2: Leaves www.ijppr.humanjournals.com Citation: Ashutosh Pal Jain et al. Ijppr.Human, 2016; Vol. 7 (1): 175-184. 178 Fig. 3: Flowers Fig. 4: Bark