Cayratia (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Cayratia A.H.L. Juss.
- Protologue: Dict. Sci. Nat. 10: 103 (1818).
- Family: Vitaceae
- Chromosome number: x= 20, 40; C. japonica: 2n= 40, 60, C. mollissima: 2n= 40, C. trifolia: 2n = 40, 80, about 96
Major species
- Cayratia japonica (Thunb.) Gagnep.,
- C. trifolia (L.) Domin.
Vernacular names
- Sorrel vine (En).
Origin and geographic distribution
Cayratia consists of about 50-65 species, mostly distributed in the tropics and subtropics of Africa, Asia, Australia and many Pacific Islands.
Uses
In South-East Asia, different plant parts of Cayratia are commonly applied for fever. In Peninsular Malaysia, the leaves of C. japonica, boiled with an onion and lime, are applied to the head to cure violent headaches. The dried and powdered flowers are employed for fever. In Sumatra, all aerial parts are applied for fevers, including malaria. In the Solomon Islands, the leaves are rubbed on the stomach to relieve constipation. In China, the aerial parts or the roots are widely used for fever, and also to resolve toxins in mumps, jaundice and dysentery and disperse swellings in rheumatism. The mucilaginous roots are also employed to treat cancerous affections, and also act as a diuretic to treat haematuria. In decoction, the roots are applied for mastitis. Pounded leaves are put on scorpion stings and centipede bites.
In Peninsular Malaysia and East New Britain, the leaves of C. trifolia are commonly used for poulticing ulcers of the nose. The leaves or roots also act as a rubefacient, drawing blood to the surface. The leaves or roots in decoction are used as a fomentation for high fever, resulting in perspiration. The juice from the leaves and stems may also be drunk, diluted in water, for the same purpose. In Java, the juice of the leaves, together with the juice of young pineapple, may be used on the head for itch and dandruff. In Thailand, the leaves and roots are used for fever and as an astringent, the stem as an expectorant, carminative and blood purifier. The stem is applied to relieve vertigo, fainting, internal bruises, boils and nose ulcers. In the Philippines and Thailand, a decoction of the leaves or the juice of the fresh leaves is considered antiscorbutic. In India, the ground root, together with black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), is applied to boils, as an astringent and disinfectant. In Vietnam, the sap from the cut stem is drunk, but no use is given.
In Peninsular Malaysia, a decoction of the leaves of C. novemfolia (Wallich) Burkill is used as a cooling lotion in fevers, and the leaves may be oiled, heated and applied to boils or for dropsy.
Production and international trade
Cayratia is only used on a local scale.
Properties
The stem, leaves and root of C. trifolia contain cyanic acid, and traces of it were also found in the flowers. The leaves of C. trifolia, C. mollissima and C. japonica contain several flavonoids including cyanidin, delphinidin, kaempferol, myricetin and quercetin. Furthermore, the aerial parts of C. trifolia contain the triterpene epifriedelanol. This compound demonstrated anti-tumour activity in a potato disk bioassay against crown gall tumours caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
Description
- Perennial, evergreen or deciduous, climbing or scrambling lianas, climbing by leaf-opposed tendrils, often branched several times, branches subtended by a bract; roots sometimes tuberous.
- Leaves alternate, pinnate or pedate, 3-12-foliolate, margins serrate; petiole present; stipules 2, often triangular, caducous.
- Inflorescence axillary, pseudo-axillary or leaf-opposed, pedunculate, carried above the leaves, multi-flowered in irregular corymbose cymes, often loose; peduncle and pedicel subtended by bracts.
- Flowers bisexual, small, 4-merous, buds often swollen; calyx usually cup-shaped; corolla with 4 lobes, free, cohering in bud by the interlocked epidermis cells; stamens 4, inserted on the receptacle at the base of the disk, opposite the petals, filaments erect, often flattened, anthers dorsifixed, opening by longitudinal slits, introrse; disk cupular, adnate to and entirely surrounded by ovary, lobes 4, rounded; ovary superior, 2-locular, 2 ovules per locule; style conical, stigma minute, accrescent.
- Fruit a fleshy berry, 1-4-seeded, on the ventral side with 2 grooves.
- Seed triangular to ovoid, shape depending on number of seeds in berry, flattened, with 1-2 furrows or pits on the ventral surface; endosperm in transverse section U- or T-shaped.
- Seedling with epigeal germination.
Growth and development
C. trifolia starts flowering at the beginning of the rainy season, while C. japonica can be found flowering and fruiting throughout the year.
In Japan, nectar secretion in C. japonica lasts for 2 days, and nectar volume peaks at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day, with a sugar concentration of 60%. The commonest visitors were the ant Lasius niger and the wasp Vespa xanthoptera.
Other botanical information
Cayratia may be distinguished from the closely related Cissus by its compound leaves, ratio central petiolule to lateral petiolule rarely less than 2, dichotomous cymes, 2-4-seeded berries and endosperm in transverse section U- or T-shaped. Cissus has simple leaves (except for some Australian species), umbellate or paniculate cymes and usually 1-seeded berries.
In Cayratia, leaf-size, margin indentation and degree of pubescence varies considerably intraspecifically, but number of leaflets, shape and relative size, position of hairs, nature of tendrils and seed characteristics are useful diagnostic characters.
Ecology
Cayratia is found on all soil types in thickets and along forest margins, usually at low altitudes, often carpet- or curtain-forming.
Propagation and planting
Cayratia is propagated by seed and root suckers. Unpollinated ovary explants of C. japonica can be cultured on modified Murashige & Skoog medium supplemented with different concentrations of 2,4-D, or in combination with thidiazuron for the induction of embryogenic callus. For the induction of embryogenic callus and somatic embryogenesis, both cytokinin and auxin are required in the medium.
Diseases and pests
Cayratia is a host of the grape Cristulariella leaf spot (Cristulariella moricola), which causes severe damage on the grape (Vitis vinifera L.), and C. japonica is a host of Pseudomonas cissicola, the causal agent of bacterial leaf spot on grape and related genera. Cayratia is resistant to the fungus causing grape downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola).
Cayratia is also an alternative host for the cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii). C. japonica is an alternative host for the Lepidopteran Scrobigera amatrix, which feeds on the leaves of grapes.
Harvesting
Cayratia is harvested from the wild whenever the need arises.
Handling after harvest
All plant parts of Cayratia are normally used fresh. The flowers are sometimes dried for future use.
Genetic resources and breeding
The Cayratia species treated here are widespread and common throughout South-East Asia, and do not seem to be at risk of genetic erosion. There are no known breeding programmes of Cayratia.
Prospects
Little information is available on the phytochemistry and phytopharmacology of Cayratia. More research will be needed for a proper evaluation of its future potential, e.g. as a febrifuge.
Literature
- Jackes, B.R., 1987. Revision of the Australian Vitaceae, 2. Cayratia Juss. Austrobaileya 2(4): 365–-379.
- Kakutani, T., Inoue, T. & Kato, M., 1989. Nectar secretion pattern of the dish-shaped flower, Cayratia japonica (Vitaceae), and nectar utilization patterns by insect visitors. Researches on Population Ecology 31(2): 381-400.
- Kundu, J.K., Rouf, A.S.S., Hossain, M.N., Hasan, C.M. & Rashid, M.A., 2000. Antitumor activity of epifriedelanol from Vitis trifolia. Fitoterapia 71(5): 577-579.
- Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. pp. 559-560.
- Ridley, H.N., 1922. The flora of the Malay Peninsula. Vol. 1. Government of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States. L. Reeve & Co, London, United Kingdom. pp. 470-479.
- Zhou, J.Y., Ma, H., Guo, F.X. & Luo, X.T., 1994. Effect of thidiazuron on somatic embryogenesis of Cayratia japonica. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 36(1): 73-79.
Selection of species
Authors
- Slamet Sutanti Budi Rahayu
