Unraveling Bhokar's Secret's : A Review of It's Medicinal and Pharmacological Significance

Dr. Rahulkumar D. Rahane, Karishma K. More*, Shrihari D. Shinde, Prof. Vaibhav N. Kadam, Siddhant S. Nagare, Pravinkumar M. Pawar

Matoshri Miratai Aher College of Pharmacy , Karjule Harya

Mail id : morekarishma51@gmail.com

DOI: https://doi.org/10.71431/IJRPAS.2025.4304  

INTRODUCTION

India stands as the most abundant source of medicinal plants, boasting a rich diversity of active compounds. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80% of the population in India rarely relies on herbal drugs for disease treatment. Over 3,000 plant species have been reported to exhibit beneficial effects in the treatment of various diseases, as documented by Siddha, Ayurveda, Amchi, and Unani systems. Among these, Cordia dichotoma (Forst.) Kuntze is distinguished by its small to medium- sized deciduous tree characteristics, including a short, crooked trunk, a short bole, and a spreading crown. Its leaves are simple, entire, and slightly dentate, ranging from elliptical- lanceolate to broad ovate in shape, with a round and cordate base. The stem bark is grayish brown, smooth, or may exhibit longitudinal wrinkles. The flowers are short-stalked, bisexsual, and range in color from white to pinkish, appearing in loose corymbose cymes. The fruits are edible, with a sticky flesh mass that becomes more viscid as they ripen, eventually turning black.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION:

C. dichotoma is commonly located in tropical and subtropical areas. It thrives in the sub- Himalayan region and outer ranges, reaching heights of around 1500 m. In Maharashtra, it thrives in damp monsoon forests. It does not grow in clusters, but rather is typically found growing alone in moist, shaded ravines and valleys. The species is prevalent in the Philippines and is present in dense vegetation and secondary forests at lower and middle elevations.

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom                     :              Plantae

Division                       :              Magnoliophyta

Class.                           :              Dicotyledons

Subclass                      :              Astaridae

Order                           :              Lamiales

Family                          :              Boraginaceae

Genus                           :              Cordia

Species                         :              Dichotoma Forst

VERNACULAR NAMES :

•     English                  :              Indian cherry, Clammy cherry, Fragrant manjack

•     Bengali                  :              Bahubara, Boch

•     Hindi                     :               Lasora

•     Malayalam             :               Naruvari

•     Marathi                  :               Bhokar, Shelu

•     Gujarati                 :               Vad gundo

•     Kannada                :               Challe, Haadige

•     Sanskrit                  :                Bahuvarah

•     Tamil                      :                Naruvili, Citam, Naruvali

•     Telugu                    :                Bankanakkera, Chinna-Nakkeru, Botgiri

MORPHOLOGY CHARACTERS:

The Cordia dichotoma has a small to medium-size deciduous tree with a short, crooked trunk, a short bole, and a spreading crown. Its leaves are simple, entire, and slightly dentate, ranging from elliptical-lanceolate to broad ovate with a round and cordate base. The stem bark is either grayish brown and smooth or longitudinally wrinkled. The flowers are short-stalked, bisexual, and can be white to pinkish in color, appearing in loose corymbose cymes. The fruits are edible with sticky flesh mass, and they are yellow or pinkish-yellow, shining globose, or ovoid drupes seated in a saucer-like enlarged calyx. Upon ripening, they turn black, and the pulp becomes viscid.

        Figure1: Parts of C.dichotoma

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

The entire C. dichotoma plant is edible and serves as a food source. Young fruits are pickled and also utilized as a vegetable. A mixture of flower and curd, applied twice daily, is employed to shield the body from intense sunlight. In coastal areas of Orissa, the ripe fruits are consumed raw by the rural population. The seed kernels of C. dichotoma contain a significant amount of fatty oils and proteins, making them suitable for use as cattle feed. The polysaccharide gum (97%) derived from the plant is utilized for various pharmaceutical purposes.

Chromium found in the fruit offers therapeutic benefits for diabetes management. Additionally, the fruit contains certain anti-nutritional components, including phytic acid (355 mg), phytate phosphorus (100 mg), and oxalic acid (250 mg) per 100 grams. Recent studies have identified new natural cellulose fibers derived from the branches of C. dichotoma.Ayurvedic Properties.

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

RASA PANCHAKA

Rasa                         :   Madhura , Katu , Tikta , Kashaya

Guna                        :    Ruksha

Virya                        :    Sheeta

Vipaka                     :     Katu

Doshakarma               :    Kapha , Pittahara

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

The phytochemical components identified from the plant C. dichotoma are as follows:

Ø   Bark: Contains allantoin, β-sitosterol, and 3’, 5-dihydroxy-4’-methoxy flavanone-7-O-α-L- rhamnopyranoside, along with apigenin.

Ø   Fruits and leaves: Notable for the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, terpenes, and sterols.

Ø   Fruit: Composed of arabinoglucan, D-glucose (67.6%), and L-arabinose.

Ø   Seed: Rich in α-amyrins, betulin, octacosanol, lupeol-3-rhamnoside, β-sitosterol, β- sitosterol-3-glucoside, hentricontanol, hentricontane, taxifolin-3-5-dirhamnoside, hesperitin-7-rhamnoside, and various fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, arachidic, behenic, oleic, and linoleic acids. Additionally, four flavonoid glycosides (robinin, rutin, rutoside, datiscoside, and hesperidin), a flavonoid aglycone (dihydrorobinetin), p- hydroxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-hydroxyacetophenone, p- hydroxypropiophenone, latifolicinin C, and two phenolic derivatives (chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid) have been isolated from the seeds.

Ø   Twigs: Contain β-sitosterol and β-sitostreol-3-glycoside, as well as 1,2-dilinoleoyl-3- linolenoylglycerol.

Ø   Leaves: Feature flavonoids such as apigenin, rutin, quercetin, quercitrin (quercetin-3-O- rutinoside, quercetin-3-O-2G-rhamnosylrutinoside), isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O -robinoside, kaempferol-3-O -rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O -2G- rhamnosylrutinoside, along with flavone (luteolin) and phenolic compounds.

PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

1  - Antioxidant Activity

The total antioxidant capacity of the extract was assessed using the ABTS/H2O2 discoloration technique, which aligned with the results obtained from standard substances such as ascorbic acid and BHT. C. dichotoma exhibited notable antioxidant properties across various concentrations. The antioxidant activity measured for the fruit pulp extract was

58.09 mg/ml, 54.23 mg/ml, and 50.06 mg/ml, while the standard ascorbic acid recorded a value of 72.34 mg/ml.

2  - Wound Healing Activity

The wound healing efficacy of the ethanol extract from the fruits of C. dichotoma, which was fractionated using petroleum ether, solvent ether, ethyl acetate, butanol, and butanone, was evaluated through three distinct models: excision wound, incision wound, and dead space wound in Wistar rats. All fractions demonstrated significant wound healing capabilities.

3  - Analgesic Activity

The crude ethanol extract of C. dichotoma leaves was tested for analgesic effects at an oral dosage of 500 mg/kg body weight. The extract exhibited a significant reduction in writhing induced by acetic acid in mice, outperforming diclofenac sodium. Additionally, the methanol extracts of the leaf powder at a dosage of 400 mg/kg displayed considerable analgesic activity in the Eddy's hot plate test.

4  - Antimicrobial Activity

The methanol and butanol extracts from the bark were effective in inhibiting the growth of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus clavatus, and Candida albicans. Furthermore, the ethanol extract from the leaves exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Vibrio cholera, Streptococcus epidermidis, Hafnia, and Escherichia coli.

5  - Antiulcerative Colitis

The methanol fraction of the bark significantly decreased the pathological score and enhanced healing in experimental mice with acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis.

6-   Antidiabetic

The methanol extract of the fruit demonstrated antidiabetic properties in rats with alloxan- induced diabetes when administered at a dosage of 200 mg/kg. Additionally, various solvent fractions including ether, ethyl acetate, butanol, and butanone exhibited notable wound healing capabilities at a dosage of 300 mg/kg in a rat model. The effects of the pulp and peel of Cordia dichotoma (C. dichotoma) powder on type 2 diabetes mellitus were assessed, revealing that a diet supplemented with C. dichotoma powder resulted in a modest increase in body weight and significant reductions in serum blood glucose levels.

7-   Cytotoxic

The ethanol extract from the leaves was found to possess strong cytotoxic effects against the brine shrimp Artemia salina, with an LC50 value of 20 µg/ml and an LC90 value of 180 µg/ml.

8-   Acute toxicity studies

Acute toxicity was evaluated in albino rats weighing between 170-200 g using the fixed dose method as per OECD guidelines No. 420. The rats were given increasing doses of the methanol extract (5, 50, 300, 2000, and 5000 mg/kg body weight) to monitor changes in toxicity parameters. No fatalities were recorded even at the highest dose of 2 g/kg body weight

9.Antiimplantation Activity

The antiimplantation activity of the methanolic extract from the bark of C. dichotoma was assessed by examining the implantation sites at various dosages. The coarse powder was defatted with petroleum ether (60-80) and subsequently extracted using methanol. Vaginal smears from Wistar rats (200-250 g) were microscopically analyzed to determine the estrus cycle, ensuring that only females with a normal cycle were included in the study. The acute study was conducted following OECD guidelines, with doses of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg body weight selected for evaluating antiimplantation effects. Female rats in proestrus and estrus stages were paired with fertile males at a ratio of 2:1. Vaginal smears were monitored, and the presence of sperm clusters was noted as Day 1 of pregnancy. The number and size of implants were assessed on Days 10 and 21 through laparotomy. No changes in ovulation were observed, indicating that the antiimplantation activity was primarily due to a reduction in the number of implants. Furthermore, the investigation revealed no significant differences in body weight or uterine levels of blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides when compared to the control group.

PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIAL USES

1.    Tablet Binder: The fruit of Cordia dichotoma possesses a significant level of stickiness, which makes it suitable for use as a tablet binder. In the future, Cordia gum has the potential to serve as a competitive alternative to gelatin in tablet formulations

2.      Emulsifier: As a pharmaceutical excipient, Cordia gum can function effectively as an emulsifier. It presents a viable option due to its biodegradable nature, cost-effectiveness, and widespread availability among pharmaceutical excipients.

MARKETED PREPARATIONS

AYURVEDIC PREPARATIONS:

1.  Gondi Churna (Powder): Available from Dabur, Himalaya, and Baidyanath

2.  Gondi Kashaya (Decoction): Offered by Arya Vaidya Sala and Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala

3.  Cordia Dichotoma Tablet: Produced by Himalaya and Dabur

4.  Gondi Oil: Provided by Baidyanath and Arya Vaidya Sala (for skin and hair care)

UNANI PREPARATIONS:

1.  Majun Gondi (Confection): Available from Hamdard and Unani Medicine Company

2.  Gondi Sharbat (Syrup): Offered by Hamdard and Ajmal Khan Unani Company

3.  Cordia Dichotoma Capsule: Produced by Unani Medicine Company

HERBAL PREPARATIONS:

1.  Cordia Dichotoma Tea: Available from Organic India and Herbal Hills

2.  Cordia Dichotoma Capsule: Offered by NOW Foods and Jarrow Formulas

3.  Cordia Dichotoma Extract: Provided by BulkSupplements and NutriGold

COSMETIC PREPARATIONS:

1.  Gondi Face Cream: Available from Baidyanath and Himalaya

1.  Cordia Dichotoma Hair Oil: Offered by Dabur and Ayur

2.  Gondi Soap: Available from Himalaya and Baidyanath

PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS:

1.  Cordia Dichotoma Extract Tablets: Produced by Phyto Life Sciences

2.  Cordia Dichotoma Infusion Bags: Supplied by Herbal Pharma

CONCLUSION:

Cordia dichotoma is a highly valuable plant within traditional medicine systems. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated its diverse therapeutic properties, including antidiabetic, antiatherosclerotic, antihypertensive, antilipidemic, wound healing, antifungal, antimicrobial, analgesic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antioxidant, antiviral, gastroprotective, antiulcer, anthelmintic, antiimplantation, and hepatoprotective effects. This review may facilitate the identification and development of new plant-derived pharmaceuticals and treatment options.

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