Insecticidal Activity of Extracts, Fractions, and Pure Molecules of Cissampelos pareira Linnaeus against Aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch.

Aphis craccivora Koch is a polyphagous and major pest of leguminous crops causing significant damage by reducing the yield. Repeated application of synthetic insecticides for the control of aphids has led to development of resistance. Therefore, the present study aimed to screen the insecticidal activity of root/stem extracts/fractions, and pure molecules from Cissampelos pareira Linnaeus against A. craccivora for identification of lead(s). Among root extract/fractions, the n-hexane fraction was found most effective (LC50 = 1828.19 mg/L) against A. craccivora, followed by parent extract (LC50 = 2211.54 mg/L). Among stem extract/fractions, the n-hexane fraction (LC50 = 1246.92 mg/L) was more effective than the water and n-butanol fractions. Based on GC and GC-MS analysis, among different compounds identified in the n-hexane fraction of root and stem, ethyl palmitate (known to possess insecticidal activity) was present in the highest concentration (24.94 to 52.95%) in both the fractions. Among pure molecules, pareirarineformate was found most effective (LC50 = 1491.93 mg/L) against A. craccivora, followed by cissamine (LC50 = 1556.31 mg/L). Parent extract and fractions of C. pareira possess promising activity against aphid. Further, field bio-efficacy studies are necessary to validate the current findings for the development of botanical formulation.

Transcriptome analysis and connectivity mapping of Cissampelos pareira L. provides molecular links of ESR1 modulation to viral inhibition.

Bioactive fractions obtained from medicinal plants which have been used for the treatment of multiple diseases could exert their effects by targeting common pathways. Prior knowledge of their usage could allow us to identify novel molecular links. In this study, we explored the molecular basis of action of one such herbal formulation Cissampelos pareira L. (Cipa), used for the treatment of female hormone disorders and fever. Transcriptomic studies on MCF7 cell lines treated with Cipa extract carried out using Affymetrix arrays revealed a downregulation of signatures of estrogen response potentially modulated through estrogen receptor α (ERα). Molecular docking analysis identified 38 Cipa constituents that potentially bind (ΔG < - 7.5) with ERα at the same site as estrogen. The expression signatures in the connectivity map ( https://clue.io/; ) revealed high positive scores with translation inhibitors such as emetine (score: 99.61) and knockdown signatures of genes linked to the antiviral response such as ribosomal protein RPL7 (score: 99.92), which is a reported ERα coactivator. Further, gene knockdown experiments revealed that Cipa exhibits antiviral activity in dengue infected MCF7 cells potentially modulated through estrogen receptor 1. This approach reveals a novel pathway involving the ESR1-RPL7 axis which could be a potential target in dengue viral infection.

Cissampelos pareira L.: A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cissampelos pareira, a well-known medicinal climber-plant of the Menispermaceae family, has been extensively used in the traditional medicinal system since the ancient time for the treatment of numerous diseases such as ulcer, wound, rheumatism, fever, asthma, cholera, diarrhoea, inflammation, snakebite, malaria, rabies, and also recommended for blood purification. AIM OF THE REVIEW: The main purpose of this review is to provide updated information on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis, pharmacology, and toxicology of C. pareira along with the possible future research. This information will help to provide a foundation for plant-based drug discovery in the near future. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The online databases such as Scifinder, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar were used to collect electronically available literature data on C. pareira. Ayurveda text is searched for the traditional uses of this plant in India. The published books are also searched for the information on this plant. Our search was based on traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacological potential by using "Cissampelos pareira" as the keyword. RESULTS: To date, approximately 54 phytomolecules have been isolated and characterized from C. pareira including mainly isoquinoline alkaloids along with few flavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, and fatty acids. The crude extracts of C. pareira have shown various pharmacological activities such as antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, antiulcer, antidiabetic, anticancer, antifertility, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antivenom, antimalarial, and immunomodulatory, etc. The chemical fingerprinting of C. pareira carried out using HPTLC, HPLC, UPLC, LC-MS, and GC-MS, revealed the presence of alkaloids (isoquinoline alkaloids), fatty acids, and flavonoid glycosides. Moreover, the toxicological assessment of C. pareira has been moderately investigated, which requires further comprehensive studies. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive literature survey reveals that till date, remarkable growth has been made on phytochemistry and pharmacology of C. pareira reflecting the great medicinal potential of this plant. Although some of the traditional uses have been well clarified and documented by modern pharmacological analysis, the correlation between its pharmacological activities and particular phytoconstituents still needs to be validated. Furthermore, there is partial data available on most of the pharmacological studies, along with incomplete toxicological screening. Future research needs to pay more attention to pharmacological studies of C. pareira via pre-clinical and clinical trials. Additionally, scientific validation of traditional knowledge of C. pareira is vital for ensuring safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action before clinical uses.