Botany
Branched, half-woody, erect shrub, growing up to 2 meters high. Leaves
are green and toothed, orbicular-ovate to broadly ovate, 5-12 cm long
and nearly as wide, with a prominently heart=shaped base and pointed apex,
the margins entire or irregularly toothed. Flowers are yellow, solitary,
and opens in the evening. Fruits is a rounded capsule, 1.5 to 2 cm in
diameter, with 15-20 hairy, awned carpels.
 Chemical constituents and properties
• Leaves contain
a mucilage, tannin, organic acid, traces of asparagin, and ash. Roots
also contain asparagin.
• Study yielded two new compoundsm abutilin A and (R)-N-(1'-methoxycarbonyl-2'-phenylethyl)-4-hydroxybenzamide
plus 28 known compounds.(Source)
• Demulcent, diuretic, astringent, laxative, expectorant, aphrodisiac.
Distribution
Grows in grasslands and
waste places.
A common garden plant.
Properties
Considered analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, astringent, demulcent, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, laxative.
Parts
used
Whole plant.
Uses
Folkloric
Plant leaves are demulcent;
given as decoction for bronchitis, bilious diarrhea, gonorrhea, bladder
inflammation, urethritis and fevers. Decoction also for fomentation over
aching body parts for its emollient benefits.
Bark is astringent and diuretic.
Seeds are demulcent, laxative, expectorant and aphrodisiac; useful for
gonorrhea and cystitis.
In China, used for tinnitus, deafness, earaches, fevers, hives, tuberculosis, weepiing ulcers; as diuretic.
In India, used for coughs and fevers, bronchitis, dysuria, diabetes, dysmenorrhea, diarrhea, boils and skin ulcers.
Studies
• Hepatoprotective: The aequous extract of AI exhibited significant hepatoprotective activity by
reducing CCL4 and paracetamol-induced changes.
The extract may interfere with free-radical formation which may be responsible for the hepatoprotective action.
• Larvicidal: Isolation and
identification of mosquito larvicidal compound from Abutilon indicum (Linn.)
Sweet: Study showed the petroleum extract of A indicum may be a potent source of ß-sitosterol as a new natural mosquito larvicidal agent.
• Wound Healing: PHCOG
MAG.: Research Article Wound Healing activity of Abutilon Indicum:
Study showed wound healing activity which may be due to increase in collagenation
deposition, better alignment and maturation.
• Diabetes: (1) Extracts of leaves
showed significant hypoglycemic effect in rat study. (2) Study showed aqueous extract of A indicum has antidiabetic properties evidenced by inhibition of glucose absorption and stimation of insulin secretion. Phytochemical studies yielded alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides and saponins that could account for the pharmacologic effects.
• Analgesic: (1) Analgesic principle
from Abutilon indicum: Eugenol, isolated from AI, was found to
possess significant analgesic activity. (2) Study showed the extracts of A. indicum possess significant dose-dependent peripherally acting analgesic activity with a feeble centrally acting analgesic effect.
• Antimycotic Activity: Methanolic extract of leaves of Abutilon indicum shows remarkable antifungal activity against Tricophyton rubrum and suggests further studies for possible therapeutic use.
• Lipid-Lowering Activity: The ethanolic and water extract of A indicum inhibited the elevation in serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rats and an increase in HDL lipoproteins in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. Comparatively, atorvastatin and gemfibrozil showed slightly better effects.
• Anti-Inflammatory Activity: Study of extracts of leaves of Abutilon indicum showed a biphasic effect on membrane stabilization, a measure of antiinflammatory activity comparable to standard drug diclofenac sodium.
• Anti-Diabetes / Insulin Resistance: Study results suggest that the extract of A. indicum may be beneficial for reducing insulin resistance therough its potency in regulating adipocyte differentiation and by increasing glucose utilization.
• Immunomodulatory: Study on the immunomodulatory activity of aqueous and ethanol extracts of leaves of AI on albino mice demonstrates it triggers both specific and non-specific immunological responses. Its immunostimulant effect could be attributed to the flavonoid content.
• Bronchial Asthma / Mast Cell Stabilizing Effect: Study showed A indicum's possible mechanism of action in the treatment of bronchial asthma may be due to its mast celll stabilizing and anti-inflammatory effect.
• Cytotoxic / Antimicrobial: Study of the crude methanolic extract of leaf of Abutilon indicum showed promising cytotoxic activity and the carbon tetrachloride extract showed mild to moderate antimicrobial activity.
• Antioxidant / Radical Scavenging Activity: Study showed dose-dependent antioxidant and radical scavenging activity in the extracts of both A indicum and A muticum.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
Powders and extracts in the cybermarket. |
