Download Scientific Name :Cymbopogon shoenanthus (L

Scientific Name:
Cymbopogon shoenanthus (L.) Spreng
Synonym:
Andropogon schoenanthus L.
Local Name(s):
Sakhbar, Athkhar
Arabic Name(s):
Athkhar,Hashish Aljamal, khilal ma ‘ mooni, Halfabr,,Halfaa
mekka, Asakhbr, ,Sesrad, mahah, Hashmah, Sonbl arabi,
Khasab, Hamra.
Common Name(s):
Camel’s hay , Camel grass, Lemon grass
Family:
Poaceae ( Graminae)
Plant habitat
Whole plant
Description:
Densely tufted, aromatic perennial grass; culms erect, 30-60cm high; enclosed at the
base by tight bundles of old sheaths. Leaf blades narrowly linear to filiform, up to 30
cm long, 1-3 mm wide, glaucus, asperulous. Inflorescence spathate paniculate spikes,
oblong, 10-40 cm long, spikes woolly paired, 1-3 cm long, one with stalk and one
without, rachis- internodes and pedicels conspicuously white-woolly with hairs 34mm long; pedicel of homogenous pair inflated, barrel-shaped, the lower raceme –
base very short, about 1/3 length of the pedicel. Sessile spikelets narrowly lanceolate,
pedicelled spikelets 4-7 mm long; lower glume cartaceous, concave between the
keels, glabrous or pubescent throughout, unwinged; upper lemma bidentate, the lobes
up to 1/3 length of lemma body; awn 4.5-9 mm long, scarcely geniculate, the column
weakly defined. Fruit a caryopsis.
Habitat and Distribution:
The plant is wide spread in North Africa, Arabian Peninsula, India & Pakistan.The
plant is widely spread in U.A.E especially in the Northern Emirates; and found in
mountain slopes and valleys with gravely soils.
Part(s) Used:
Whole plant and oil.
Traditional & Medicinal Uses:
The plant is diuretic, carminative, tonic, stomachic, diaphoretic, antirheumatic,
antidiarrhoeal, emenagogue and antispasmodic.
In U.A.E the infusion of the plant is used for fever and stomach problems and the
roots chewed as aphrodisiac.
In other countries the whole plant is used as mentioned above and infusion from floral
parts used as febrifuge; decoction of the leaves for lung and stomach problems and for
infertility in women. The roots are used as antispasmodic, carminative, tonic,
expectorant and as antidote for snake and scorpion poison. The oil is stimulant,
nervine and it is used for rheumatism, backache, nerves and joint pains and uterus
diseases; and finally the plant used in perfumery and aromatic purposes.
Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry
Parts studied: Leaves
Microscopical Description
Leaf blade –Both upper and lower epidermises have typical grass ‘long cells’, with
sinuous cell walls alternating with ‘short’ and ‘twinned cells’. Stomata having dumbbell-shaped guard cells with crescent-shaped subsidiary cells are almost confined to
the lower epidermis. The leaf mesophyll is not differentiated into palisade and spongy
tissues but only polygonal and isodiametric cells are present. Vascular tissues are
confined to the lower surface and they show a characteristic pattern of distribution.
One-celled conical covering trichomes are found on both surfaces but mostly on the
lower surface.
Leaf sheath – It is less curled than the leaf blade and has comparatively larger ‘long
cells’ with straight cell walls. These cells frequently contain discoid starch grains.
Some cells contain volatile oil droplets. The epidermal cells of the leaf sheath also
contain one-celled conical covering trichomes.( ZCHRTM Pub. 2000)
a
b
c
(a). TS of the leaf showing involution, upper (adaxial) and lower (abaxial)
epidermises, undifferentiated mesophyll and pattern of distribution of vascular tissues.
(b). TS of the leaf sheath showing adaxial surface, mesophyll embedding vascular
tissues (dark areas), abaxial surface bearing trichomes. (c). TS of the growing point
showing cells and tissues similar to those of leaf. ( Magnifications: All x 100).
Organoleptic characteristics:
Appearance:
Solid powder
Colour:
Brown
Odour :
Specific of its own
Taste:
Bitter
Physicochemical constants:
Loss in weight on drying at 1050C (%):
10.40-10.60
Solubilities
Alcohol solubility (%):
Water solubility (%):
10% ethanolic extractive (%):
1.60
8.00-8.80
16.60-17.40
Ash values (%)
Total ash:
Water soluble ash:
Acid-insoluble ash:
9.40
0.60-0.80
6.60
Successive extractive (%)
Petroleum ether (60-800C):
Chloroform:
Absolute alcohol:
Distilled water:
2.00
0.60
15.40
Not done
pH values
pH of 1% solution:
pH of 10% solution:
6.50-6.53
5.94-5.96
Chemical constituents:
Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids , nitrogen bases,
flavonoids,steroids , triterpenes. ( Kamil et. al 2000; 2002, DPS, ZCHRTM Unpub.
results).
Pharmacological and Toxicological studies:
Cymbopogon schoenanthus has been reported to possess the severely toxic oil for
same species of parasites . The oil is used to reduce density of parasitoid populations
and increase seed losses (Ketoh et. al., 2002).
Observation on the animals for behavioral changes, administered i.p., with ethanolic
extract, a mild sedation accompanied by slow and deep respiration were observed.
The ethanolic extract produced a mild depression followed by mild stimulation of
force of contraction of the isolated rabbit heart. The heart rate was also increased
during stimulation. The extract failed to produce significant effect on blood pressure
of anesthetized rabbits. Biochemical studies showed no significant changes in the
serum glucose, cholesterol and sodium levels. However, a significant rise, in serum
potassium level of rats treated with ethanolic extract, was observed . Haematological
studies and blood coagulation studies also revealed no significant changes in RBC and
WBC counts, haemoglobin level, prothrombin time and fibrinogen level as compared
to the control animals (Al-Yahya et. al., l983).
The pharmacological and toxicological studies carried out in our laboratory and
the results in brief, on Cympopogon schoenthus (10% ethanolic extract) have
been given below.
The results presented without references showed unpublished data (ZCHRTM,
DBMS):
ACTIVITY
RESULTS
Anti-inflammatory activity-Rat paw Showed significant anti-inflammatory
oedema activity.
Diuretic activity-Urine output
Showed slightly increased urine output.
Anti-hypertension activityAnesthetic rats (i.p.)
BP not changed, HR increased.
Gross behavioral studiedTremor/Twitches
No sign of toxicity observed.
Gross behavioral studies-Writhing
No sign of toxicity observed.
Gross behavioral studies-Diarrhea,
Urination
No sign of toxicity observed.
Mortality
No death recorded.
Motor co-ordination (String &
Platform test)
Motor coordination not affected.
Acute toxicity studies
No abnormal sign and symptoms observed.
LD50 evaluation
> 6.4 g/kg.
Summary of the results:
Cymbopogon schoenanthus 10% ethanolic extract
showed significant antiinflammatory activity. The plant extract has also shown diuretic activity. Acute
administration of the extract showed no abnormal signs and symptoms at the dose
tested (LD50 = 6.4 g/kg, p.o.).
Reference:
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Al-Yahya, M.A., tariq, M., Al-Meshal, I.A., and Mossa, J.S. (l983)
Chemical and biological studies on Saudi Medicinal plants. Proc. 43 rd Int.
Comg. Pharmaceut. Sci. (FIP)., Montreux, 18.
Batanouny,K.H. et al, Wild Medicinal Plants in Egypt: an Inventory to
Support Conservation and Sustainable Use. (1999) Palm Press, Egypt, ISBN
977 5089 24 7.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Zyed Complex for Herbal Research and
Traditional Medicine, Unpublished results.
Department of Pharmacognostic Sciences, Zyed Complex for Herbal
Research and Traditional Medicine (ZCHRTM ),unpublished results .
El-Ghonemy, A. A. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants of the United Arab
Emirates. (1993) 1st Edition, University of UAE.
Elsheikh,M,O.,Kamil,m.,Ahmad,F.,Jayraj,A.F., Gunasekhar .C, Thomas
S.,Attas,A92000) .Morphoanatomic studies of Cymbopogon
schoenanthus.J.Phar.& Pharmac.52(suppl):262.
Jongbloed, M.V. The Comprehensive Guide to the Wild Flowers of the united
Arab Emirates, Erwda, (2003) Emirates Printing Press, Dubai, U.A.E.
Kamil M, Ahmed F, Jayiraj A F, Gunasekar C, Thomas S, Chan K &
Attas A. Chemical and Pharmacognostic Standardization of Cymbopogon
schoenanthus speng. 2nd Arab Conference of Pharmacology, Sept. 5-8 2002,
Fez, Morocco.
Ketoh GK, Glitho AI, Huignard J. (2000) Susceptibility of the bruchid
Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) and its parasitoid
Dinarmus basalis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) to three essential oils. J Econ
Entomol. 95(1):174-82.
Kotb, T. F. Medicinal Plants in Libya.(1985) Arab Encyclopedia House.
Tripoli-Libya.
Mandaville,J.P. Flora of Eastern Saudi Arabia. (1990) Kegan Paul
International Ltd. England.
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Miller A.G., Morris M. Plants of Dhofar, The southern Region of Oman:
Traditional, Economic and Medicinal Uses.(1987) Office of the Advisor for
conservation of the Environment, Sultanate of Oman.
Western, A. R. The Flora of United Arab Emirates, an introduction. (1986)
Publication of the UAE University.
. ‫( ﻣﻄﺒﻌﺔ ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻹﻣﺎرات‬1995)،‫اﻷﻋﺸﺎب ﻓﻲ دوﻟﺔ اﻹﻣﺎرات اﻟﻌﺮﺑﯿﺔ اﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪة‬. ‫ ﻓﻮزي‬،‫ﻛﺮﯾﻢ‬
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