PERIWINKLE (SADABAHAR) - CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS | FACTS AND BENEFITS

COMMON NAME (s) / Synonyms

•Madagascar periwinkle

•Rose periwinkle

• Rosy periwinkle

• red periwinkle

•Cape periwinkle

• Old maid

•Church-flower

• Ram-goat rose

• Myrtle

•Magdalena

Scientific Name(s)

Catharanthus roseus

Other names

ØC. roseus is known as boa-noite ("good night") and maria-sem-vergonha ("shameless maria", name shared with Impatiens and Thunbergia alata) in Brazilian Portuguese

ØVinca-de-madagáscar, vinca-de-gato ("cats' vinca"), vinca-branca (white vinca), vinca or boa-noite in European Portuguese

ØVinca del Cabo, vinca rosa ("pink vinca") or vinca rosada ("roseous vinca") in Spanish

ØPutica ("little whore") in Venezuela

ØTeresita in the southern part of Mexico, specifically in Champotón, Campeche and Mérida,[33]

Øİzmir Güzeli ("Smyrna beauty") in Turkish, indicating the city that has the best climate conditions for it to flourish in Turkey

ØDhafnaki (Δαφνάκι, "little Daphne") in Greece and Cyprus

ØThe Afrikaans name "kanniedood" ("cannot kill") is often used in South Africa

Ø"Sadaphuli"(सदाफुली) in Marathi

ØNithya Kalyani (நித்ய கல்யாணி)

ØSudukaatu Mallikai in Tamil Nadu

ØIt is called Nayantara (নয়নতারা, "eyeball") in Bengali.

ØIt is called "Billa Ganneru" (బిళ్ళ గన్నేరు) in Andhra Pradesh

Periwinkle (SADABAHAR)

•Native to the west indies

•It first was described in Madagascar.

•Evergreen shrub

•Native to Madagascar

•In the wild, it is an endangered plant

•The main cause of decline is habitat destruction by slash and burn agriculture.

•Periwinkle is a perennial herb with flowers

•Bloom throughout the year, depending on the climate

•These often are bred for their unique colors,

•Colors ranging from white to green-yellow and lavender

•The related plant vinca minor (common periwinkle, myrtle) is used as a ground cover.

MORPHOLOGY

Flowers are white to dark pink with a darker red center, with a basal tube 2.5–3 cm (1.0–1.2 in) long and a corolla 2–5 cm (0.8–2.0 in) diameter with five petal-like lobes.

Leaves are oval to oblong, 2.5–9 cm (1.0–3.5 in) long, and 1–3.5 cm (0.4–1.4 in) broad, glossy green, hairless, with a pale midrib and a short petiole 1–1.8 cm (0.4–0.7 in) long; they are arranged in opposite pairs.

Medicinal Properties

LEAVES

•Vomit

•Used in diabetes (Enhanced secretion of insulin)

•Young leaves for stomach cramps

•Alkaloids anti-cancer

•As application to the wasp, bee stings

ROOT

•Purgative, vermifuge, depurative, hemostatic

•For dysentery

•Antibacterial, anti-fungal

FLOWER

•Extract used for eyewash in infants

•Asthma

Phytochemical elements

o Alkaloids

o Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids(MIAs)

o Vinblastine

o Vincristine

o Vinflunine

o Ajmalicine

o Serpentine

oCatharanthine

o Vindoline

o Reserpine

Vincristine & Vinblastine

Catharanthus roseus –Studied extensively for its remarkable anticancer constituents

Vincristine & Vinblastine

These two are very powerful anticancerous compounds of terpenoid indole alkaloids. The productivity of vinblastine and vincristine is very low in plants (0.001-0.0003%) resulting in their extraordinarily high price. This poses a serious challenge to all including biotechnologists as to improve the yield and to reduce unit cost.

Vincristine – c46h56n4o10, more active, less stable, less used, used in acute leukemia especially in children.

Vinblastine -c46h58n4o9 , more used, used for Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, brain cancer, melanoma, and testicular cancer.

Miscellaneous uses

Periwinkle alkaloids have been used in the treatment of leukemia, Hodgkin disease, malignant lymphomas, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, Kaposi sarcoma, mycosis fungoides, to improve cerebral blood flow, and treat high blood pressure.

The most well known of the "vinca" alkaloids derived from c. Roseus is vinblastine (vincaleukoblastine, velban) and vincristine (leurocristine, oncovin), which are now widely used pharmaceutical anticancer agents. An extensive body of literature exists on the clinical uses of the various purified alkaloids of Catharanthus.

SIDE EFFECT

Vinblastine-

Causes birth defects so not used for pregnant, Bone marrow damage is a limiting factor

Vincristine-

Neurotoxicity is dose-limiting factor causes damage to peripheral NS

ØPeriwinkle was already referred to as a medicinal plant at the time of Pedanius Dioscorides (1st century AD), who recommended the use of the herb for a toothache and poisonous insect stings and animal bites.

ØPliny the Elder (23-79 CE), a Roman naturalist and philosopher, wrote that in his time it was widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.

ØIn the Middle Ages, periwinkle was often recommended as a treatment for a sore throat, nosebleed, and various lung diseases and it was a common ingredient in many love potions popular at that time.

ØMedieval herbal literature also refers to the herb as a remedy for a headache, dizziness, and lapses of memory.

ØIn France, periwinkle was regarded as is a symbol of friendship.

Medicinal Applications of Periwinkle

ØPeriwinkle has a tonic, astringent (contracting), styptic, antihypertensive, vasodilatory (widening of the blood vessels) and diuretic properties.

ØAs an astringent, the herb can be used both internally and externally. The main application of the herb is for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding, either during menstruation (menorrhagia) or bleeding between periods (metrorrhagia).

ØIt can also be used for digestive problems such as gastritis (inflammation or irritation of the stomach lining) and diarrhea by strengthening the mucous membranes resulting in reduced fluid or blood loss.

ØThe astringent effect of periwinkle can be exploited by using extracts of the leaves externally as a mouthwash or a gargle for a sore throat, gingivitis, and mouth ulcers, and as a washing, wet compresses, or covers to treat minor skin inflammations, eczema, milk scab, vaginal discharge, and wounds. Furthermore, the herb has also be used to halt nosebleeds by placing the leaves directly into the nostrils.

The Active Substance Vincamine

ØIn 1953, vincamine was identified as the main active ingredient in periwinkle and soon after the chemical structure of the substance was mapped.

ØStudies have shown that patients suffering from poor memory, behavioral disorders, speech disturbances, irritability, restlessness, dizziness, and headaches showed significantly improvement when administered vincamine.

ØToday, there are a number of pharmaceutical medications for various ailments that contain this substance.

ØHowever, it soon became apparent that vincamine had very specific actions on the blood flow to the brain. Possibly due to a strengthening and softening effect the substance has on the thin arteries, which in turn improves blood supply to the brain and the inner ear.

ØThe main indications for vincamine seem to be for mild forms of high blood pressure (hypertension), vascular retinopathy associated with hypertension, Meniere’s disease (a disorder of the inner ear causing dizziness, tinnitus, hearing loss, pressure or pain), cerebral arteriosclerosis, dementia and some symptoms cause a stroke.

ØNeither lesser periwinkle or greater periwinkle contain the anti-cancer alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine (potent cytotoxins) which are found in the closely related plant Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus/Vinca rosea)

Periwinkle Tea Benefits

ØLowers Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure Levels

ØFights Cancer

ØActs as an Antioxidant

ØImproves Your Memory

ØTreats Bleeding Gums and Mouth Sores

ØPeriwinkle Tea Helps in Fending off Memory Loss and Senility

ØTreats lung congestion and sore throats

ØReduces chances of hearing loss

ØVinpocetine found in the Tea works as a Calcium-Chelating Mediator

What are the constituents of Periwinkle Tea?

The tea is rich in alkaloids. The vinca has at least 86 different alkaloids including vincamine vinblastine, vincristine, vinpocetine alstonine, , leurocristine, ajmalicine and reserpine.

Periwinkle Tea Preparation

To make a cup of Periwinkle tea, you will need a teaspoon of dried periwinkle leaves. Pour the leaves into a cup full of boiling water and let it steep for 5-10 minutes. Once steeping is done, strain to remove the herbs. After staining your cup of the healthy periwinkle, tea is done. Most people find the tea too bitter. You can sweeten it by adding honey or fruit juice or even Stevia.

Dosage and Administration

ØAs tea: Add one teaspoon of the dried herb to one cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes and then strain. For therapeutic purposes, three cups can be drunk daily.

ØAs a tincture: 1-2 ml three times a day.

ØAs a gargle: Two tablespoons of the dried herb boiled in a ½ liter of water for a few minutes.

ØSince periwinkle is slightly toxic, internal self-medication of the herb is now discouraged.

ØIf the herb is intended for internal medicinal uses it should only be done under the guidance of a trained herbalist or other professional healthcare providers.

Possible Side Effects and Interactions of Periwinkle

ØPeriwinkle is slightly poisonous and ingesting excessive amounts of the herb can be dangerous. In large quantities, the herb can be harmful to the kidneys and nervous system, cause problems in the digestive tract and serious hypotension.

ØAlso, the plant contains substances that can irritate the skin and mucous membranes.

ØTreatments for periwinkle poisoning may include; inducing vomiting and administration of activated charcoal.

ØThe herb should never be used during pregnancy.

ØVincamine, or extracts containing standardized vincamine content should only be used if prescribed by a medical doctor.

ØVincamine preparations should not be used in cases of brain tumors, retinal bleeding, or during pregnancy, and should not be used in conjunction with loop diuretics, laxatives, and arrhythmia medications.