ENICOSTEMMA LITTORALE BLUME

Common name: Indian Whitehead • Hindi: छोटा चिरायत Chota chirayata, katvinayi, नामे Naame, Nahli, Nawari • Kannada: ಚಿಕ್ಕಾ ಚಿರಾಯತ Chikka chiraayuta • Malayalam: വല്ലാരി Vallari, Vellaruku • Sanskrit: Mamajjakah, नागजिह्वा Nagajihva, Nahi • Tamil: Vallari, Vellarugu, Arukumuli, Chakkiraviraiyanantan •Telugu: Nelagolimidi, Nelagurugudu gujarati: mamejava.

Botanical name:   Enicostemma littorale blume

Family: Gentianaceae (Gentian family)

Introduction: Indian Whitehead is a perennial herb growing up to 40 cm tall, with 4-angled stems. Leaves are narrow-oblong, lanceshaped. STalkless white flowers are borne in dense clusters in leaf axils. This species is globally distributed in West Indies, tropical Africa, India and Sri Lanka. It is found almost throughout India upto an altitude of about 450 m., from Punjab and the Gangetic plains southwards, most commonly in coastal areas. costal areas.

Chemical Constituents:

This plant comprises of different chemical compounds. Many compounds have been isolated from the plant, E. littorale. Tanna et al. reported that the aerial part of the plant gave 34% of dry alcoholic extract and 15.7% of ash[15]. The presence of minerals like iron, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, silica, phosphate, chloride, sulphate and carbonate were estimated in the qualitative analysis of ash. Natarajan and Prasad reported the presence of five alkaloids, two sterols and volatile oil[7]. Betulin, a triterpene sapogenin was also isolated by earlier workers[16]. Monoterpene alkaloids like enicoflavin, gentiocrucine and seven different flavonoids were isolated from the alcoholic extract and the structures were identified as apigenin, genkwanin, isovitexin, swertisin, saponarin, 5-o glucosylswertisin and 5-o glucosylisoswertisin. The presence of catechins, saponins, steroids, sapogenin, triterpenoids, flavonoids and xanthones and a new flavone C-glucoside named as Verticilliside was isolated for the first time this species was reported by Jahan et al. Swertiamarin compound was isolated from E. littorale by using alcoholic extract. Six phenolic acids like vanillic acid, syringic acid, p-hydroxy benzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. Methanol extract of E. littorale was found to be containing different aminoacids like L-glutamic acid, tryptophane, alanine, serine, aspartic acid, L-proline, L-tyrosine, threonine, phenyl alanine, L-histidine monohydrochloride, methionine, iso leucine, L-arginine monohydrochloride, DOPA, L-Glycine, 2-amino butyric acid and valine

Medicinal uses:   E. littorale is traditionally used in India as a stomachic, bitter tonic, carminative to reduce fever and as a tonic for appetite loss. In Indian ayurvedic medicine, E. littorale is taken in combination with other herbs, especially for diabetes. E. littorale is administered in ayuvedic pill form for treating type 2 diabetes since it plays a major role in reducing blood glucose and increases serum insulin level and significantly improves kidney function, lipid profile, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate. E. littorale has demonstrated its anti-inflammatory activity, and tumour inhibition in rats, and the plant possesses a secondary compound namely swertiamarin which shows central nervous system (CNS) depressant effects in rats. Nampalliwar and Godatwar observed that E. littorale enhances glucose-dependent insulin release. The hot aqueous extract of E. littorale has also been used by the traditional healers for the treatment of dyspepsia and malaria

Flowering: June-January