Ardisia (PROSEA Medicinal plants)
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Introduction |
Ardisia Sw.
- Protologue: Prodr.: 3, 48 (1788).
- Family: Myrsinaceae
- Chromosome number: x= 23; A. crenata, A. solanacea: 2n= 46
Origin and geographic distribution
Ardisia comprises almost 400 species and shows a pantropical distribution. It occurs throughout South-East Asia with western Malesia as the main centre of diversity. For southern Vietnam 48 species have been recorded, Thailand has some 72 species, Peninsular Malaysia 75, Borneo 92 and New Guinea 31.
Uses
Common uses of Ardisia in traditional medicine in South-East Asia include the external treatment of skin diseases, wounds and rheumatism and internal application against stomach-ache and fever. For these purposes, usually a decoction of the roots or leaves is used.
The wood is occasionally used for posts in local house building, e.g. that of A. copelandii Mez and A. lanceolata Roxb. The fruits of some species are edible, e.g. those of A. crenata and A. lurida Blume. Young shoots and leaves of A. elliptica Thunberg and A. laevigata Blume are sometimes eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable, whereas in the Philippines flowers and fruits of A. squamulosa Presl are cooked as a flavouring with fish. The bark of A. serrata (Cav.) Pers. is occasionally used for tanning, and the fruits of A. solanacea for dyeing a yellowish colour. Some Ardisia species are planted as an ornamental. A. japonica (Hornst.) Blume from China and Japan is used in traditional medicine to treat coughs and uterine bleeding.
Properties
Root extracts of A. oxyphylla showed significant activity against Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro. The active compound was identified as the benzoquinone rapanone.
A methanol extract of leaves and twigs of the Philippine A. iwahigensis Elmer, as well as the alkenylphenol ardisenone isolated from it, demonstrated moderate cytotoxicity against several human cancer cell lines in culture. Ardisiphenols A-C, isolated from A. sanguinolenta fruits, showed scavenging activity and cytotoxicity against murine breast cancer cell lines. A benzoquinonoid compound with antimetastatic and antitumour effects was isolated from A. crenata in Korea.
Bergenin derivatives and other triterpenoid saponins have been isolated from A. crenata roots. The triterpenoid saponins ardisicrenoside C and D showed inhibitory activity on cAMP phosphodiesterase, whereas an aqueous acetic acid extract of the roots showed utero-contracting activity in rats, with ardisiacrispin A and B as the active compounds. A cyclic depsipeptide isolated from A. crenata inhibits platelet aggregation, decreases blood pressure and has hypotensive and cytotoxic activities.
Ethanolic extracts of A. solanacea leaves, stems and seeds showed distinct activity against many gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This species is rich in bergenin, and shows anti-acetylcholine activity.
The methanol extract of aerial parts of A. japonica showed moderate anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activity in vitro. Several triterpenoid saponins have been isolated, but only bergenin and norbergenin showed weak anti-HIV activity. Two alkenyl-1,4-benzoquinones, ardisianones A and B, and maesanin isolated from its roots are 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors. Two benzenoids with antituberculosis activity, ardisinols I and II, were isolated from A. japonica.
Several 1,4-benzoquinone derivatives named ardisiaquinones have been isolated from the Japanese A. sieboldii Miq.; these showed inhibitory effect on 5-lipoxygenase, with ardisiaquinone A as the most potent enzyme inhibitor. Two saponins isolated from A. pusilla A.DC. from China and Japan showed marked immunomodulatory and antitumour activities.
Botany
- Shrubs or small trees, rarely subshrubs or medium-sized trees up to 12(-35) m tall; branches often flattened-triangular at base.
- Leaves alternate, occasionally subopposite or subverticellate, simple, entire to toothed, dotted with glands, sometimes scaly; stipules absent.
- Inflorescence an axillary or terminal raceme, panicle, cyme, corymb or umbel.
- Flowers bisexual, (4-)5-merous; calyx deeply split, often dotted with glands; corolla usually with very short tube, lobes overlapping to the right; stamens inserted to the corolla tube by very short filaments; ovary superior, 1-locular, style slender, stigma minute.
- Fruit a globose drupe, usually red-purple to black when mature, 1-seeded.
- Seed globose.
- Seedling with epigeal germination; cotyledons emergent, rudimentary or leafy; hypocotyl elongated; leaves arranged spirally, involute.
In recent years many new species have been described in Ardisia. It is subdivided into 17 subgenera. The genera Tetrardisia and Afrardisia from Africa were recently included in Ardisia. Self-compatibility is widespread in Ardisia.
Ecology
Most Ardisia species are shrubs or treelets growing in the understorey of lowland evergreen forest, but some can be found up to 2500 m altitude.
Management
Propagation of some Ardisia species (e.g. A. crenata) by stem and root cuttings has been practised successfully.
Genetic resources
As can be expected in such a large genus, some species are widely distributed and common, whereas others are endemic to small areas and uncommon (e.g. A. crassa). Those species which are in demand for medicinal purposes are usually the more common ones (e.g. A. crenata, A. sanguinolenta).
Prospects
Ardisia has been shown to possess very interesting pharmacological properties, mainly due to the presence of benzoquinone derivatives and triterpenoid saponins. Several of these properties seem to justify more research.
Literature
121, 249, 262, 365, 542, 747, 883, 967, 1052.
Selection of species
Authors
- R.H.M.J. Lemmens
