NeBIO

Vol. 3, No. 3, September 2012, 26-28

Brucea mollis Wall. ex Kurz.: Untapped potential medicinal plant of Northeast India
Kumar Avinash Bharati and H. B. Singh
Raw Materials Herbarium and Museum, National Institute of Science Communication and information Resources, Pusa Campus, Dr. K.S.Krishnan Marg, New-Delhi-110012 ABSTRACT Brucea mollis Wall. ex Kurz. is used as traditional medicinal herb for the treatment of malaria in North-East India. The plant exhibited anticancer and diuretic activity and cardiovascular effect. The present communication highlights the medicinal properties of the plant and its chemical constituents and their biological activities. The conservation assessment of the plant in north east India is also given. Keywords: Brucea mollis; North-East India, medicinal plant, traditional medicine, biological activities.

The genus Brucea J. Mill. of the family Simaroubaceae represent a group of 10 species distributed in tropics and subtropics. In India, the genus is represented by two species viz. Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. and B. mollis Wall. ex Kurz. (Gupta et al., 2004; Santapau and Henery, 1973). The Brucea mollis occurs in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Darjeeling, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Sikkim, of North-East India (Gupta et al., 2004). It is also reported from Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippine, Thailand and Vietnam (Pullaiah, 2006). This species has immense medicinal properties in the traditional medicines. The powder of dry seeds (50 gm) mixed with water (50 cc), has reported to be given thrice a day in malaria and stomach complaints (Bhutani, 2008; Pullaiah, 2006; Singh et al., 2003; Borthakur, 1976). The Ethanolic extract (50%) of whole plant exhibited diuretic activity and cardiovascular effect (Dhawan et al., 1977); and the alcoholic extract (95%) has shown anticancer activity (Dhawan et al., 1977; Rastogi and Dhawan, 1990). Brucea mollis Wall. ex Kurz. and Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. are also used in traditional herbal medicine in China as antitumor and antimalarial medicines (Liu et al., 2009). Brucea mollis Wall. ex Kurz., (Fig.1) [Syn. Brucea acuminata H.L. Li; B. luzoniensis Vidal; B. membrancea Merr.; B. macrobotrys Merr.; B. stenophylla Merr.], is a bitter shrub or small tree with yellow green and puberulent branchlets and redpurple with white lenticellate branches. Leaves are alternate, imparipinnate with densely yellow
Author for correspondence

pubescent rachis; leaflets 5-15, lateral opposite, ovate or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, entire, membranous, pubescent on both surfaces, more densely beneath; base often unequal, rounded or cuneate. Flowers green, minute, polygamous, in small cymes arranged in axillary pubescent racemes. Fruits ovoid, 8-12 x 68 mm, glabrous, orange-red when ripe, pointed at the apex; stone reticulated.

Figure 1. Herbarium specimen of Brucea mollis

Recently, has been chemical exhibited Table 1.

phytochemical studies of the genus Brucea reviewed (Liu et al., 2009). Some of the compounds found in Brucea mollis various biological activities are given in

H. B. Singh
Email: hbsbhati@yahoo.com
NECEER, Imphal

Brucea mollis: Untapped potential medicinal plant of Northeast India Bharati & Singh __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Observations Table 1. Chemical constituents isolated from Brucea mollis and their biological activities
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. Chemical Constituents Bruceine B1,2 Bruceine D1,2 Brusatol 1,2 Bruceoside B 1,2 Yadanziolide A 1,2 Soulameanone 1,2 11-Hydroxycanthin-6-one 1,2 Bruceolline A 1,2 Bruceolline B1,4 Bruceolline C 1,2 Bruceolline D 1,2 Bruceolline E 1,2 Bruceolline F 1,2 Bruceolline G 1,2 5,11-Dimethoxycanthin-6-one 1,2 11-Hydroxycanthin-6-one N-oxide 2 1-Hydroxy-11-methoxycanthin-6-one1,2 11-hydroxy-1-methoxycanthin-6 1,5 1-(Hydroxymethyl) -carboline 1,5 1-Ethyl- carboline5 9H-pyridol3,4-lindole-1-ethanol5 -Carboline-1-propionic acid 1,5 Canthin-6-one N oxide1,2 11-O--D-glucopyranosyl-(1-6)-D glucopyranosylcanthin-6-one1,2 5-O-Dglucopyranosyl-(1-6)--D glucopyranosylcanthin-6-one 1,2 1-(2-hydroxymethyl) -carboline 1,5 Bruceollines H-N 122 6 Bruceollines H-N 222 6 Bruceollines H-N 322 6 Bruceollines H-N 422 6 Bruceollines H-N 522 6 Bruceollines H-N 622 6 Bruceollines H-N 722 6 Yadanziolides T-V 10 22 6 Yadanziolides T-V 1122 6 Yadanziolides T-V 1222 6 Bruceolline E22 6 Bruceolline F22 6 Bruceine D22 6 Canthin-6-one 1,7 Yadanziolide B22 6 Biolgical activity Amebicide, Antimalarial, Antiplasmodial, Cytotoxic, Insecticide, Pesticide, Plasmodicide, Protisticide, Trypanocide3 Amebecide, Anticancer, Antileukemic, Antimalarial, Antitumor, Cytotoxic, Pesticide, Plasmodicide, Protisticide, Trypanocide3, Antiphytoviral4 Amebicide, Anticancer, Antifeedant, Antigiardial, Antileukemic, Antimalarial, Antitumor, Cytotoxic, Pesticide, Plasmodicide, Protisticide, Trypanocide3 Antimalarial, Pesticide 3 Cytotoxic, Antileukemic 3 Cytotoxic 3 Antibacterial, CNS-Depressant, Hypotensive, Pesticide3 cAMP inhibitor3 Cytotoxic226 Cytotoxic226 Antibacterial, Antileukemic, Antimycotic, Antiseptic, Cyto-toxic, Fungicide, Pesticide and cAMP-inhibitor 3 Cytotoxic226

Key for table 1: 1 Liu et al, 2009; 2Ouyang et al, 1994a; 3Dr. Duke databases, 2012; 4 Dembitsky, 2005; 5 Ouyang et al, 1995; 6 Chen et al, 2011; 7 Ouyang et al, 1994b.

Discussion Brucea mollis and B. javanica have been used for the treatment of malaria and cancer in India and China in their respective traditional system of medicine. This has been affirmed by showing biological activities of the chemical compounds like Bruceine B, Brucine D, Brusatol, and Yandanziolide A, isolated from Brucea mollis and B. javanica. Besides, the anticancerous and antimalarial activities of Bruceine B, Brucine D, Brusatol and Yandanziolide A, they also have exhibited amebicidal, antiplasmodicidal, antifeedant, antigiardial, cytotoxic, insecticidal, pesticidal, antiviral and antileukemic activities (Table1). The

compounds like 11-Hydroxycanthin-6-one, Hydroxy11-methoxycarthin-6-one, Canthin-6-one, Yadanziolides T-V 10, Bruceine D and Yadanziolide B isolated from Brucea mollis have shown cytotoxic activities (table1). The compound 1-Erythl-carboline, isolated from B. mollis has also been reported to be used as CNS-depressant and hypotensive; -Carboline-1-propionic acid and Canthin-6-one have found as a cAMP inhibitor (Table1). In India, the distribution of Brucea mollis is limited to North East India only. Unfortunately, due to
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Brucea mollis: Untapped potential medicinal plant of Northeast India Bharati & Singh __________________________________________________________________________________________________

destruction of habitat and harvesting from wild the species becomes endangered in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya. It is the matter of concerned that in Sikkim status of the species is not evaluated yet (Ved et al., 2003). The cultivation of Brucea mollis and imposing ban on collection from natural habitat will help in conservation of species in wild. It is therefore suggested that Brucea mollis should be use judicially to keep the plant available for future generations.
References Bhutani, K.K. 2008. Herbal Wealth of North-East IndiaDatabase and Appraisal. NIPER, Chandigarg. Borthakur, S.K. 1976. Less known medicinal uses of plants among the tribes of Karbi-Anglong (Mikir Hills), Assam. Bulletein of Botanical Survey of India 18 (1-4): 166-176. Chen, H., Bai, J., Fang, Z.F., Yu, S.S., Ma, S.G., Xu, S., Li, Y., Qu, J., Ren, J.H., Li, L., Si, Y.K. and Chen, X.G., 2011. Indole alkaloids and quassinoids from stems of Brucea mollis. Journal of Natural Products 74(11): 2438-45. Dembitsky, V. M., 2005. Astonishing diversity of natural surfactants: 6. Biologically active marine and terrestrial alkaloid glycosides. Lipids 40 (11): 1081-1105. Dhawan, B.N., Patnaik, G.K., Rastogi, R.P., Singh, K.K. and Tondan, J.S. 1977. Screening of Indian Plants for Biological Activity: Part VI. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 15 (3): 208-219. Dr. Dukes Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, Accessed on March 20, 2012, http://www.arsgrin.gov/duke/ Gupta, A.K., Sharma, M. and Tandon, N. 2004. Reviews on Indian Medicinal Plants, Vol 4, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, p 431-433.

Liu, J.H., Jin, H.Z., Zhang, W.D., Yan, S.K. and Shen, Y.H., 2009. Chemical constituents of plants from the genus Brucea. Chemistry and biodiversity 6 (1): 57-70. Ouyang, Y., Yishan, K. K. and Ohmoto, T. 1994a. Indole alkaloids from Brucea mollis var. tonkinensis. Phytochemistry 37 (2): 575-578. Ouyang, Y., Katsuyoshi M., Koike K. and Ohmoto T. 1995. Alkaloids and quassinoids of Brucea mollis var. tonkinensis. Phytochemistry 39 (4): 911-913. Ouyang, Y., Koike, K. and Ohmoto, T. 1994b. Canthin-6one alkaloids from Brucea mollis var. tonkinensis. Phytochemistry 36(6): 1543-1546. Pullaiah,T., 2006. Encyclopaedia of World Medicinal Plants. Vol 1. Regency Publications, New Delhi, p 360. Rastogi, R.P. and Dhawan, B.N. 1990. Anticancer and Antiviral activities in Indian medicinal plants: A Review. Drug Development Research 19: 1-12. Santapau, H and Henery, A.N. 1973. A dictionary of the flowering plants in India. CSIR, New Delhi, p 27. Shen, J.G., Zhang H.K., Wu, Z.J., Ouyang, M.A., Xie L.H., and Lin Q.Y., 2007. Antiphytoviral activity of Bruceine-D from Brucea javanica seeds. Pest Management Science 64 (2) 191-196. Singh, H.B., Singh, R.S. and Sandhu, J.S. 2003. Herbal Medicines of Manipur: A colour encyclopaedia. Daya Publishing House, New Delhi. Ved, D.K., Kinhal, G.A., Haridasan, K., Ravikumar, K., Ghate, U., Sankar, R.V. and Indresha, J.H. 2003. Conservation Assessment and Management Prioritisation for medicinal plants Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim. Proceedings of the Workshop Held at Guwahati, Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), February-March 2003, Bangalore, India.

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