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Crescentia Genus of Medicinal Plants: a Review

MM Maidul Islam
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Nasrin Akter Shova
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Taufiq Rahman
Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1PD, UK

ABM Anwarul Bashar
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Mohammed Rahmatullah*
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Plants have always been a source of drugs possibly from the advent of human beings. Even in recent times, many important allopathic drugs have been discovered from plants. All plants produce secondary metabolites, which metabolites can have a diverse range of pharmacological activities. Recent times are witnessing not only emergence of new diseases like bird flu, Nipah, Ebola to name only a few, but also emergence of drug-resistant vectors of old diseases like common cold, enteric diseases, and parasitic diseases. At the same time, diseases like diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders and Alzheimers have started to reach or have already reached endemic proportions. The Crescentia genus is a less studied genus and has only a few species within the genus. Nevertheless two of the species, namely Crescentia cujete and Crescentia alata have been found to have a diverse range of bioactive phytochemicals. This review attempts to collate various traditional uses of the two plants, their reported phytochemicals and the pharmacological activity studies of the two plants and plant parts with a view to spur scientific interest in this genus leading to novel drug discoveries.

Keywords: Crescentia, Phytochemicals, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Acaricidal, Anthelmintic

Location: In Bangladesh.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants

Objectives:

This review shall attempt to summarize the various traditional uses of Crescentia genus plants, bioactive phytochemicals known to be present in the plants, pharmacological activities of whole plant and plant parts, and potential of drug discovery from plants of this genus. Search of the relevant scientific literature has been made in various abstracting bodies like PubMed, SCOPUS and Google Scholar. No time limits were set for the searches.

Methodology:

Botanical description: Crescentia plants exist in dry tropical meadow systems. The height of C. cujeteis 6 to 12 meters (m) tall and leaves are spoon shaped, 5 to 18 cm long and 2 to 5 cm broad, which are arranged in clusters with the stout twigs. Flowers are light green bell-shaped and 5 to 6.5 cm long. It produces very large and oval green or brown fruits which are 10 to 30 cm in diameter [9]. It is also a perennial species which is dispersed in the tropical lowlands of Mesoamerica. It also grows in savannahs and semi-evergreen tropical forest. It has two generic categories according to Maya and Spanish which are known as uasandluch that distinguish wild and domesticated varieties.

On the other hand, C. alata Kunth can grow up to 8m tall. Leaves are dark green in color with lengths up to 20cm. Flowers are ball-shaped, yellow-green to maroon color and with a length of about 6cm. This plant is grown as an ornamental in India. The pectoral fruits are considered medicinal, being used for colds and kidney diseases.

Traditional uses In Mexico, C. alata plays a leading role during dry season which provides fiber, energy and protein to sheep. The inhabitants of Colombia have been using various medicinal plants for curing different diseases including Crescentia genus plants. In the northern part of Bolivia, the plant C. cujete is known as Totumo. Decoction of the interior part of this plant is used for the treatment of flu among the native people of Bolivia. Various formulations of C. cujete are used by Haitian immigrants and their descendants in the Province of Camaguey, Cuba for medicating different ailments, which encompasses catarrh, asthma, stomach pain, intestinal parasites, cold uterus and female infertility. Leaves are used in Trinidad and Tobago in order to treat hypertension. C. alata is an herbaceous plant cultivated in Central America, particularly in Mexico and Guatemala. The leaves of this plant are used in different health disorders such as ulcers, boils, skin lesions, rheumatism, and as a febrifuge. In the Yucatan area, as well as in the Antilles, Mexico and through Central and South America, leaves and fruit pulp of C. cujete are also used for internal abscesses, to expedite delivery and respiratory ailments among the Zapotec and the Mixe communities. Conventional physicians in northwestern Colombia use the unripe fruit of C. cujete for snakebites patients; the fruits have measurable and extreme neutralizing capacity against Bothrops atrox venom, which causes hemorrhage.

Source of Information: Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 2019; 7(3): 112-116

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

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Achievement/Findings:

Among the various species of the Crescentia genus, C. alata and C. cujete have been documented for their traditional medicinal uses. To our knowledge, there are no traditional medicinal uses for other species of this genus. The present study shows the importance and potential of the Crescentia genus as possible sources of new compounds, which can act as lead compounds or new drugs. With the advent and rapid rise in the number of antibiotic-resistant microbial species, the Crescentia genus may prove to be novel sources of new compounds against particularly enteric pathogens.

Knowledge Management: Journal