Cytotoxic xanthones from Garcinia pedunculata fruits.

Eight previously undescribed and seven known xanthones were isolated from the fruits of Garcinia pedunculata Roxb. The structures were identified by a variety of spectroscopic methods as well as by comparison with the literature. The isolates showed appreciable cytotoxicity against three human tumor cell lines (HepG2, A549, and MCF-7). Pedunculaxanthone G exhibited inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 12.41, 16.51, and 15.45 µM against the cancer cell lines and induced cell apoptosis in HepG2 cells.

A Comprehensive Review of Garcinia pedunculata Roxb. and its Therapeutic Potential.

Garcinia pedunculata Roxb.(GP) belongs to the family of Clusiaceae and is an evergreen tree that grows in semi-wild conditions and is widely distributed throughout the Northeastern part of India. Traditionally, this plant is believed to be of immense medicinal importance and is used for the treatment of various ailments. In Assam, the acidic fruit of GP is effectively used in folklore medicine to treat gastrointestinal disorders and is an integral part of ethnic Assamese cuisine. The ripe fruit, seldom consumed fresh or raw, is cut into thin slices, sun-dried for preservation as it is believed that the medicinal property of the fruit increases as it ages. With much traditional claims and beliefs regarding the medicinal properties of this plant, many therapeutic potentials of GP have been explored through research till now, including its antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anthelmintic, hypolipidemic, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and nephroprotective properties. Moreover, the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids along with bioactive components like hydroxycitric acid, garcinol, and cambogin have also been reported from this plant, thereby increasing its research avenues. Even with the available knowledge, there is a huge lacking in the understanding of its underlying molecular mechanism responsible for the therapeutic properties, pharmacological mode of action, and its effect in different pathological conditions, along with detailed information about its chemical composition. This review mainly aims to summarise the potentially beneficial properties of GP that have already been reported, along with identifying the new avenues that still need to be addressed, thereby increasing the future prospect for in-depth research on this plant, along with its distribution and conservation status.

Assessment of Garcinia pedunculata Roxb. Role on Biological Markers in Carbon Tetra Chloride Induced Rat Model.

Garcinia pedunculata Roxb. is an important medicinal plant of North Eastern (NE) region of India, having number of medicinal properties and used against various diseases in folk medicine. An empirical research was designed to carry out evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of the leaves of G. pedunculata with special reference to its putative protective role. Methanolic extract from the dried leaf powder of G. pedunculata Roxb. was prepared by hot continuous extraction method. The prepared extract was investigated at different dose levels for its hepatoprotective nature and further histopathological study was carried out to ascertain the degree of reversing the hepatotoxic manifestation induced by CCl4 (Carbon tetrachloride). LD50 values of the G. pedunculata Roxb. extract was found to be safe up to 2000 mg. The in vivo biological studies on serum and tissues of male Wister rats at the doses of 100 mg, 300 mg and 600 mg/kg body weight respectively was carried out taking Silymarin as standard. The methanolic extract of G. pedunculata Roxb, improved the cholesterol level along with significant improvement of SGPT (Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase), SGOT (Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase), ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase) and total protein in respect to Silymarin group. The test extract at the dose 600 mg/kg body weight was found to significantly reverse the elevated marker enzymes i.e. SGOT, SGPT, ALP indicating its hepatoprotective role. The higher dose extracts were also found to have pronounced effect on oxidative stress parameters such as GSH and catalase on CCl4 induced rats. The histopathological studies further augmented the protective activity of G. pedunculata leaf extract thereby endorsing the traditional usage of the plant.