Review · Volume 21, Issue 41 · pp. 27-32
Curcuma amada Roxb. (Mango ginger): Ethnobotany and Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemical Constituents and Therapeutic Potential: A Comprehensive Review
Arun Thakur1, Shruti Thakur1,2, Vishnu Das1, Rahul Sharma1, Anshika Thakur1
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bahra University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, INDIA.
- 2Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, INDIA.
Abstract
ABSTRACT: The genus Curcuma (family Zingiberaceae) contains more than 100 species which are mostly found in tropical and subtropical regions. Curcuma amada Roxb., is one of the most important species of Curcuma genus and it is commonly known as mango ginger due to its mango like fragrance and it has significant therapeutic potential. It has traditionally been used in Ayurveda, Unani and folk medicine system for its anti-inflammatory, wound healing and respiratory ailment potential. Curcuma amada has been used for the treatment of stomach ache, cough, fever and skin diseases and also used for making pickle and other culinary preparations showing its ethnobotanical uses. The phytochemical study shows that Curcuma amada is rich in essential oils, terpenoids, phenolic compounds and curcuminoids. β-myrcene comprises the major part of the chemical constituents and also responsible for various therapeutic activities. Google Scholar, Research Gate, Pub Med and ScienceDirect are the scientific databases which have been used to gather information for the study of ethnobotany, ethnomedicinal, morphology, phytochemistry and therapeutic potential of Curcuma amada Roxb. Pharmacological investigations confirm anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anticancer, antioxidant, analgesic, wound healing and antidiabetic potential. Also, various herbal formulations of Curcuma amada including creams, ointments and polyherbal preparations have been prepared and studied for their therapeutic potentials. Despite many pharmacological proofs lack of clinical investigation, toxicity profile and mechanistic studies restrict therapeutic translation. This comprehensive review highlights the ethnobotany, traditional uses, phytochemical profile and therapeutic potential of Curcuma amada. Roxb., providing a scientific basis for further pharmacological and clinical investigations.
Keywords: Curcuminoids; Ethnobotanical; Mango Ginger; Myrcene; Zingiberaceae
FULL TEXT
INTRODUCTION
The most ancient form of medication is represented by medicinal plants which are being utilized from centuries in traditional medicine all around the world. 1 Over 35,000 species of these medicinal plants have been used as a safe and effective medicinal. 2 The earliest found proofs of medicinal plants being used to make remedies comes from a 5000-year-old Sumerian clay slab found in Nagpur. 3 Evidences indicate that plants have been cultivated as drugs approximately 60,000 years ago. 4 In China, around 2,300 B.C. to 1,700 B.C, Pen Ts'ao Shen Nung studied about the medicine and established foundation for Chinese traditional medicine. 5 The traditional Indian medicine system or Ayurveda was developed around 2500-600 BC which indicates about use of plants for medicinal purpose. 6 Medicinal plants in current times have showed their ability in fighting against variety of harmful diseases which include cancer, hepatitis and AIDS etc., 7 Recently discovered anticancer drugs like paclitaxel (taxol) and vincristine are all obtained from plants. Other important plant derived medicines are quinine, morphine, codeine, atropine and reserpine. 8 Plants like turmeric (Curcuma longa) and other species of Curcuma genus like Curcuma amada are being utilized for their active constituents and therapeutic effects. 9 The genus named Curcuma was assigned by Linnaeus in 1753 in his species Plantarum. The word Curcuma derived from Arabic word 'kurkum' meaning yellow colour. Curcuma amada is a perennial rhizomatous aromatic herb also known as mango ginger or amba haldi, is a plant species of Zingiberaceae family. The plant is named as mango ginger (amba haldi) because of its ginger like appearance and raw mango flavors (because of Car-3-ene and Cis-ocimene). It is widely available in low altitude regions between November-April. 10 It is a native plant in India and is widely present in Bengal, Konkan and Madras. 11
Traditional Medicinal Uses
Curcuma amada is very effective medicinal plant widely used in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The rhizomes are considered as source of medicinal benefits in traditional medicinal system. 12 Traditionally, it is used as carminative, stomachic, rheumatism, gastro-intestinal disorder, and respiratory disorder. In Ayurveda, it is used as appetizer, antipyretic, aphrodisiac, expectorant, in asthma and as laxative. 13
Uses in food industry
It is widely used in food industry as a basic ingredient in pickle, preserves, candies, sauces, curries, salads etc. It is mostly used as a flavoring agent (spice) in various products. 14
Geographical Distribution
It is native plant to Indo-Malayan region of South and Southeast Asia. Mainly distributed in India, Myanmar and Bangladesh (occurs both natural and cultivated form). Mostly found in West Bengal and cultivated in Karnataka, Gujrat, U.P, Kerala and Northeastern states of India. It grows in tropical and subtropical climate with warm and humid conditions (grows from sea level to 1500 m). 15
Morphological Description
It is perennial rhizomatous herb and morphologically similar to ginger but has raw mango like flavour. The plant grows up to 1 m tall having 5-6 pairs of long, oblong, lanceolate leaves arranged in tufts. Rhizome part are pale yellow or brownish yellow colored. They are 5-10 cm long and 2-5 cm in diameter, branched sympodially with scaly leaves at nodes making ring like scars (Table 1). 14
Ethnobotanical Profile
Curcuma amada is considered to have a vast variety of medicinal as well as culinary purposes. In the ancient medicinal system, the rhizome part of Curcuma amada is considered to have properties like appetizer, diuretic, expectorant, antipyretic and wound healing. 16 The root part is known to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, analgesic effect and also rectify all metabolic problems. The rhizome part is widely used to prepare various salads and chutneys also used in pickles and culinary preparation. 17
Phytochemical profile of Curcuma amada
The rhizome part is used the most due to presence of large number of bioactive compounds like curcuminoids, phenolic compounds, terpenoids and essential oils. β-Myrcene is most abundant among essential oils. These essentials oils are present in large amount followed by curcuminoids and terpenoids. 21 β-myrcene (6.6%), epi-curzerenone (2.5%), squalene (2-2.3%), α-acaridial (1.5-2%), β-Pinene (1.85%), and aromadandrene (1%) found as the main constituents in essential oils and other main constituents are curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, amadannulen and curzerenone. The essential oils present in the leaf part consist of camphor, epi-curzerenone, curzerenone and isoborneol. 22,23 Some studies also indicate the presence of other chemical compounds like a-pinene, p-cymene, (Z)-β-ocimene, linalyl acetate, safrole etc., in the rhizome and leaf extracts (Table 2 and Figure 1). 24 Pharmacological potential of Curcuma amada
Pharmacological potential of Curcuma amada
The bioactive constituents present in Curcuma amada are the reason for its medicinal properties. Curcuma amada plant possess large number of pharmacological activities like in vitro anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, antitubercular, antimicrobial, analgesic, anticancer, antiulcer, antiemetic, antiviral, antipyretic and anti-hyper triglyceridemic effects (Table 3). 31
Antimicrobial activity
The ethanolic rhizome extract of Curcuma amada has been studied for its antibacterial and antifungal potential against a number of microorganisms like Klebsiella pneumoniae, E. coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Cryptococcus sp., and Microsporum canis. The rhizome extract showed significant inhibition of bacterial growth against Salmonella typhimurium and Candida glabrata, but had no effect against Klebsiella pneumoniae. 25
Anti-inflammatory activity
Curcuma amada ethanolic extract showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in albino rats using Carrageenan-induced paw edema and Cotton pellet granuloma assay. Plant extract reduced acute inflammation in dose dependent manner more significantly at higher doses of 200 mg/ kg. Standard drug for comparison was indomethacin. The extract also showed significant decrease in granuloma formation showing dose dependent activity against chronic inflammation. 13
Antioxidant activity
The rhizome extract possesses potent antioxidant activity and different extracts were subjected for their antioxidant activity using in vitro assays like DPPH radical scavenging assay, Nitric oxide radical scavenging assay and others. Strong DPPH-radical scavenging activity was shown by the petroleum ether extract. Ethyl acetate extract showed strong nitric oxide scavenging activity. Superoxide radical scavenging activity was shown by the essential oil and the methanolic extract exhibit highest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. 32
Analgesic activity
The ethanolic extract of rhizome was used for the study and methods like tail flick test and formalin induced-pain model were used to study the analgesic effect. Male Wistar rats were used and pentazocine was used as a standard drug in tail flick method. In tail flick method, both extract and the standard drug showed maximum activity after 60 min. In the formalin induced pain extract reduce the pain in both early as well as the late phase. Both the methods showed the potent analgesic potential of Curcuma amada rhizome extracts. 33
Anti-diabetic activity
The aqueous-methanolic rhizome extract of the plant possesses potent antidiabetic and blood sugar lowering activity in case of normal and alloxan induced diabetic mice. The activity shown is time and dose dependent. The doses given to the mice were 150-650 mg/kg. These doses reduced the blood sugar levels and the optimal dose was 350 mg/kg. The highest dose produced mild hypoglycemic activity in normal mice but showed significant anti-hyperglycemic effect in diabetic mice. 34
Anti-Cancer activity
The anticancer potential of the rhizome as well as leaf extract of Curcuma amada was studied against breast cancer cell lines MDA MB 231 and MCF-7. The methanolic extract was used for the study and various viability assays like MTT assay, SRB assay, LDH assay were used to find out the cytotoxicity potential of extract. The extract showed dose dependent decrease in the viability of the cells in all three assays. The standard anticancer drugs taken were tamoxifen and etoposide and these drugs in combination with the extract were also used which increased the anticancer potential in cell lines. The study indicates the apoptotic cell death in cancer cell lines. 35
Anti-spasmodic activity
The aqueous rhizome extracts of Curcuma amada possess promising anti-spasmodic activity. In vitro models using chicken ileum were used to evaluate antispasmodic activity through histamine and acetylcholine induced contractions. Used antagonists like chlorpheniramine maleate and atropine for comparative assessment of antihistaminic and anticholinergic effects. The study suggests promising potential of Curcuma amada as a natural antispasmodic agent. 36
Wound healing property
The rhizome extracts of the plant have been studied for its wound healing potential in rats by the help of excision wound models. Ointments (5 and 10%) of various extracts including non-aqueous and aqueous solvent system was prepared. White soft paraffin as control and sulfadiazine (0.1%) as standard were used. Excision wounds were given to 10 groups with 6 rats in each group and control, standard and extract ointments were given to these groups. Most potent activity was shown by the 10% ethanolic extract ointment by improving the wound contraction to 99%, decreasing epithelialization time and improving histopathological parameters and thus giving potent wound healing property. 37 Part used
Part used | Uses | Country | References |
|---|---|---|---|
Rhizome | Appetizer, Diuretic, Expectorant, Alexiteric, Emollient, Antipyretic, Biliousness, Itching, Bronchitis, Asthma. | India, China | [18] |
Rhizome and other parts | Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial, Anti-hyperglycemic, Anti-fungal. | India | [19] |
Rhizome in Culinary preparation | Pickles, salads, chutneys. | India | [17] |
Rhizome paste | Skin care application and external body use. | India | [20] |
Sl. No. | Name of phytoconstituent | Plant Part | References |
|---|---|---|---|
1. | β-Myrcene | Rhizome and leaf | [10,24] |
2. | β-Ocimene | Rhizome and leaf | [10,24] |
3. | Camphor | Rhizome and leaf | [10,24] |
4. | Thymol | Rhizome and leaf | [10] |
5. | α-Longipinene | Leaf | [26] |
6. | β-Curcumene | Leaf | [26] |
7. | Zederone | Leaf | [26] |
8. | Curcumin | Rhizome | [27] |
9. | Demethoxycurcumin | Rhizome | [27] |
Sl. No. | Class | Chemical constituents | Biological activities | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Essential Oils Monoterpene | Myrcene, β-pinene, β-ocimene, camphor, thymol, borneol and isoborneol. | Flavour, antibacterial analgesic, antioxidant. | [10,25] |
2. | Sesquiterpene | α-Longipinene, Curzerene, (z)-β-Farnesene, Curzerenone, β-Curcumene, Zederone. | Anti-microbial, Anti-fungal, anti-diabetic. | [26] |
3. | Curcuminoid | Curcumin, Demethoxycurcumin, Bisdemethoxycurcumin. | Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, arthritis, anti-mutagenic. | [27] |
4. | Phenolic compounds | Gallic acid, Protocatechuic acid, Caffeic acid, ferulic acid, p-Coumaric acid, Syringic acid. | Antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory. | [10,28] |
5. | Other terpenoids | Amadaldehyde, Amadannulen, Difurocumenonol. | Antimicrobial | [29] |
6. | Flavonoids | General flavonoids present. | Antioxidant | [30] |
India, China 18 Rhizome and other parts Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial, Anti-hyperglycemic, Anti-fungal. India 19 Rhizome in Culinary preparation Pickles, salads, chutneys. India 17 Rhizome paste Skin care application and external body use. India 20
Herbal formulations of Curcuma amada
Ointment
The herbal ointment of Curcuma amada is prepared by using the rhizome extract of plant extracted using 70% ethanol. The extract was mixed with a topical ointment base and studied for its wound healing property. The ointment showed good wound healing properties and also showed minimum side effects. 38
Herbal soap
Curcuma amada oil along with almond oil is used in the formulation of the herbal soap having anti-fungal activity. The soap is made using base which include glycerine and coconut oil and the base is than mixed with the extracted oils of Curcuma amada and almond oil and antifungal soap is formulated. 39
Herbal chewable tablet
Herbal carminative chewable tablets are made using the powders of Curcuma amada, Curcuma longa and Foeniculum vulgare. The Sl. No.
Antimicrobial 29 6. Flavonoids General flavonoids present. Antioxidant 30 powders of all these medicinal herbs were mixed together along with additives and preservatives. Pre-and post-formulation studies showed that the tablets met with the standard quality and has better carminative properties then standard drug. 40 CONCLUSION Curcuma amada is a very important medicinal herb which has been utilized for its culinary and medicinal purpose from long period of time. As compared to other species of Curcuma species, Curcuma amada remains a little underexplored for its vast variety of pharmacological potentials. This review provides insights about the historical background of medicinal plants specifically Curcuma amada, its pharmacological potential, richness in chemical constituents like myrcene and curcuminoids and its incorporation into a number of herbal and polyherbal formulation.
CONCLUSION
Despite showing strong preclinical evidence, there has been lack of mechanistic studies, standardized extracts and clinical trials. So, this makes Curcuma amada as a future candidate to be explored for its medicinal potential which will help for its future therapeutic development as a prominent herbal therapeutic agent.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are grateful to the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bahra University, Solan for the support and assistance in the preparation of this review article.
ABBREVIATIONS
AIDS: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; BC: Before Christ; DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; LDH: Lactate Dehydrogenase; MCF-7: Michigan Cancer Foundation-7; MDA MB 231: MD Anderson -Metastatic Breast 231; MTT: 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; NLM: National Library of Medicine; RAPD: Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA; SRB: Sulforhodamine B; SSR: Simple Sequence Repeat; U.P.: Uttar Pradesh.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The author declares that there is no conflict of interest.
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTION
Arun Thakur: Conceptualization, literature survey and drafting. Shruti Thakur: Conceptual guidance, supervision, critical revision and final approval of manuscript. Vishnu Das, Rahul Sharma, Anshika Thakur: Literature survey, editing, and assistance in manuscript preparation.