Traditional Use, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological and Toxicological Properties of Acanthus ilicifolius: A Review

The practice of plants for the deterrence and management of innumerable physiological states and diseases dates back to the history of humankind. Although many of today’s medicinal yields are achieved synthetically, they are often modelled on the chemical composition of medicinal plants. In this accordance, Acanthus genus (Family Acanthaceae) has acknowledged considerable attention due to its wide range of secondary metabolites and its customary usage in Indian and Chinese system of medicine. It is worth to mention that A. ilicifolius is enormously medicinal among all the species of Acanthus genus. This plant is considered to be rich sources of steroids, triterpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins. Traditionally, the plant has been used for asthma, diabetes, dyspepsia, hepatitis, leprosy, neuralgia, paralysis, ringworm, skin disease, snake bite, leukemia. Toxicological investigation in mice model has showed that, the ethanolic extract of the leaves of this plant have no toxic effect up to dose of 1000 mg/kg BW, 2000 mg/kg BW dose have mild toxicity and 5000 mg/kg BW dose have caused toxic effect in some organ system like liver, heart, pancreas, lung and kidney. Different extract of this plant also exhibited Anti-inflammatory, anti-leishmanial, osteoblastic, hepatoprotective, antioxidant and anticancer activities. This review article is an endeavor to cover current expansion in phytochemical and pharmacological potential of this plant species which will be a good reference tool for investigators who wish to work on natural products.

Antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of Acanthus ilicifolius flower

Objective:To investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of the flower of Acanthus ilicifolius(A.ilicifolius).Methods:Antioxidant activity was determined as antiradical efficiency with diphenyl picrylhydrazil(DPPH)method and cytotoxic assay was undertaken using brine shrimp lethal toxicity test.Results:A.ilicifolius flower contained terpenoid,phenolic compounds,and alkaloid.The methanol extract of A.ilicifolius flower showed the highest antiradical efficiency(AE=1.41×10^(-3))against DPPH radicals and the highest cytotoxicity(LC_(50)=22μg/mL)against brine shrimp nauplii.Conclusions:It is suggested that active compounds of A.ilicifolius flower solved in methanol play a role to inhibit free radical activity and kill Artemia salina nauplii.The substances can be considered as potential antioxidant and cytotoxic agents as well as imminent candidate for cancer therapy.

Acanthus leucostachyus leaf extracts promote excision wound healing in mice

Objective:To evaluate the in vivo wound healing activity of Acanthus leucostachyus leaf extracts using an excision wound model in mice.Methods:Mice were divided into two groups of six animals in each group:the control group and the Acanthus leucostachyus extract-treated group.Healing potential was evaluated by determination of physical parameters(contraction rate,epithelialization period,and tensile strength),biochemical parameters(protein,DNA,and hydroxyproline content),the expression of growth factor and pro-inflammatory cytokines,as well as histological and ultrastructural observations.Results:Treatment with Acanthus leucostachyus leaf extracts markedly increased the rate of wound contraction,tensile strength,the concentrations of protein,DNA,and hydroxyproline,and the expression of growth factor,as well as promoted epithelialization,compared to the control.In addition,Acanthus leucostachyus leaf extracts significantly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.Histological and ultrastructural studies revealed the presence of thicker epithelial layer and smoother surface topography in the extract-treated group compared to the control.Conclusions:Acanthus leucostachyus leaf extracts show potent wound-healing activity and can be used as a wound healing agent.

Origin and evolution of a new tetraploid mangrove species in an intertidal zone

Polyploidy is a major factor in the evolution of plants,yet we know little about the origin and evolution of polyploidy in intertidal species.This study aimed to identify the evolutionary transitions in three truemangrove species of the genus Acanthus distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region.For this purpose,we took an integrative approach that combined data on morphology,cytology,climatic niche,phylogeny,and biogeography of 493 samples from 42 geographic sites.Our results show that the Acanthus ilicifolius lineage distributed east of the Thai-Malay Peninsula possesses a tetraploid karyotype,which is morphologically distinct from that of the lineage on the west side.The haplotype networks and phylogenetic trees for the chloroplast genome and eight nuclear genes reveal that the tetraploid species has two sub-genomes,one each from A.ilicifolius and A.ebracteatus,the paternal and maternal parents,respectively.Population structure analysis also supports the hybrid speciation history of the new tetraploid species.The two sub-genomes of the tetraploid species diverged from their diploid progenitors during the Pleistocene.Environmental niche models revealed that the tetraploid species not only occupied the near-entire niche space of the diploids,but also expanded into novel environments.Our findings suggest that A.ilicifolius species distributed on the east side of the Thai-Malay Peninsula should be regarded as a new species,A.tetraploideus,which originated from hybridization between A.ilicifolius and A.ebracteatus,followed by chromosome doubling.This is the first report of a true-mangrove allopolyploid species that can reproduce sexually and clonally reproduction,which explains the long-term adaptive potential of the species.