NIYOG-NIYOGAN

Niyog-niyogan

Common name: Burma crupper, Chinese honeysuckle (English), tagaran, talulo (tagalog), pimon, balitadham, pinones (visayan)[1]

Scientific name: Quisqualis indica L.[1]

[4]

Description of plant and its parts

• A vine known as “Chinese honey suckle” which bears tiny fruits and grows wild in backyards. It is effective for the elimination of intestinal worms.[2]
• Grows at least 2.5m long and reaches up to 8m long when it matures.[6]
• Belongs to the combretaceae family, grows best in tropical areas and demands constant sunlight.[7][10]
• Found in primary and secondary forests of countries like Africa, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and other Asian regions[10]
• Leaves are oblong to elliptic, opposite, 7 to 15 centimeters long, rounded at the base and pointed at the tip[4]
• Flowers are fragrant, tubular, showy, first white, then becoming red, reddish-purple or orange, exhibiting the range of colors in clusters, on the same flower stalk[4]
• Fruit is narrowly ellipsoid, 2.5 to 3 centimeters long, with five, sharp, longitudinal angles or wings[4]
• Seeds are pentagonal and black[9]
• Grows in haste during the rainy season[7]

Pictures of Niyog-niyogan

Niyog-niyogan leaves and seeds[4]

Niyog-niyogan flower[6]

Niyog-niyogan plant[11]

Active constituents

• Trigonelline (alkaloid), L-proline (α-amino acid), L-asparagine (α-amino acid), quisqualic acid (agonist for both AMPA receptors), rutin (flavonoid) and two forms of the cysteine synthase, isoenzyme A and isoenzyme B (enzyme).[5]
• Rutin and pelargonidin-3-glucoside have also been isolated from flowers.[5]
•  Fruits contain a sugary substance similar to levulose and an organic acid similar to cathartic acid.[5]
• Seeds contain a fixed oil, which consists of linoleic, oleic, palmitic, stearic and arachidic acids, a sterol, an alkaloid with anthelimintic properties and a neuroexcitatory amino acid, quisqualic acid.[5]

Traditional uses

• Decoctions of the root, seed or fruit can be used as antihelmintic[5][8]
• Fruit decoction used for gargling. The fruits are also used to combat nephritis.[5]
• Leaves can be used to relieve pain caused by fever.[5]
• The roots are used to treat rheumatism.[5]
• Flowers are used to relieve headache.[5]
• Infusion of leaves is used externally to treat boils and ulcers.[5]
• Pounded leaves externally for skin diseases.[3]
• Decoction of boiled leaves used for dysuria.[3]
• Leaves are used to cure body pains by placing them on specific problematic areas of the body.[6]
• Compound decoctions of the leaves of niyog-niyogan are used in India to alleviate flatulence.[6]

Pharmacological activity

Anti-inflammatory activity

• Anti-inflammatory action is considered to be inhibition of PG synthesis particularly it inhibit the COX at the site of injury, as the decrease the prostaglandin E2 and prostacyclin reduces vasodilation and indirectly, oedema. Accumulation of inflammatory cells is not reduced that it does not depress the production of other mediators like leukotrines, PAF, cytokines, etc so there are many targets for anti-inflammatory actions.[5]

Antipyretic Activity

• The methanolic leaf extract of Quisqualis indica Linn plant was extensively investigated for its antipyretic activity against Brewer’s yeast induced pyrexia model in rats. The methanolic extract of the plant at a dose level of 100mg/kg and 200mg /kg exhibited competent, potent and comparable results promoting Quisqualis indica Linn plant as a promising antipyretic plant species.[5]

Immunomodulatory Activity

• Hydroalcoholic extract of Quisqualis indica Linn.flower extract is a potent immunostimulants, stimulating specific and non-specific immune mechanisms. The role of phagocytosis is the removal of microorganisms and foreign bodies, dead or injured cells. The primary target of most of the immunomodulators is believed to bemacrophages which play a major role by engulfing pathogens or foreign substances and initiating innate immune response. The phagocytic index of (100 mg/kg) and QI flower extract (150 mg/kg) showed significant(p<0.05) increased in phagocytic index when compared to control group 28.[5]

Antioxidants Activity

• The methanolic plant extract Quisqualis indica Linn show 95% antioxidant activity was due to the redox properties, which allowed them to act as reducing agents by scavenging free radicals such as peroxide, hydroperoxide or lipid peroxyl and thus inhibit the oxidative mechanisms that lead to degenerative diseases. The present study showed that the partitionates of the methanolic extract of Q. indica (stem bark) especially the chloroform soluble fraction possesses significant antioxidant potentials.[5]

Anti-staphylococcal Activity

• The extract of stem bark of Quisqualis indica Linn. Which was macerated with methanol followed by sequential solvent-solvent partitioning with n-hexane carbon-tetrachloride and chloroform act as an antibiotic against staphylococcal infection? The effectiveness of the respective antibiotics is expressed as “therapeutic index” according to the formula TI = LD50 /MIC which calculates the toxicity of antibiotics towards microorganisms in vitro (MIC = Minimal Inhibitory Concentration in ppm) and the toxicity towards animals invivo (LD50 = a dose causing death of 50% of test animals in mg/kg/body weight)[5]

Anti-Cancer

• According to Professor Dr. Thomas Efferth of the DKFZ who studied 76 kinds of Chinese Medicinal plants, Niyog-niyogan or the Rangoon Creeper contains three ingredients with powerful anti-tumor activity that suppress the growth of a specific tumor cell line that is particularly resistant to many commonly used cytotoxins due to overproduction of a transport protein in the cell wall. In contrast, a whole range of standard anti-cancer drugs fail to be effective against this cell.[9]

Hypolipidemic Effect/ Aerial Parts

• Study evaluated the hypolipidemic effect of methanolic extracts of aerial parts and flowers on passive smoking induced hyperlipidemia in rats. Results showed significant concentration- and dose-dependent reduction of harmful lipid layer in blood serum. There was reduction of LDL, VLDL, cholesterol, and triglycerides with elevation of HDL.[4]

Intestinal Ascariasis / Comparative Study with Pyrantel Pamoate

• In a comparative study of Q. indica and pyrantel pamoate in the treatment of intestinal ascariasis, 85% complete cure was seen with Quisqualis indica and 90% for Pyrantel pamoate. There was 15% and 10% decrease in ova count for Q. indica and P. pamoate, respectively. A second dose resulted in compete eradication. QI had 10% side effects compared to 55% with PP.[4]

Toxicity

• The dose limits were selected on the basis of previously performed oral acute toxicity studies in rat according to the OECD guidelines Acute toxicity studies were performed which is different as per pharmacological activity generally Quisqualis indica Linn did not showing any signs of toxicity up to the dose of 150 mg/kg p.o. From acute toxicity test we concluded that two doses (maximum dose- 1/10th of maximum tolerable dose i.e. LD50) i.e. (100 mg/kg and 150 mg/ kg) were found safe for the experimental animals.[5]

REFERENCES

Author/date/year/title/name of book/URL

1. Ladion-de Guzman, Herminia. 1985. Healing Wonders of Herbs. Philippine Publishing House Manila, Philippines. P. 114
2. Cuevas, Francis. 2007. Public Health Nursing in the Philippines. 10th Editon.http://www.rnpedia.com/home/notes/community-health-nursing-notes/herbal-medicine-niyug-niyogan
3. http://www.filipinoherbshealingwonders.filipinovegetarianrecipe.com/niyog-niyogan.htm
4. http://www.stuartxchange.com/Niyog.html
5. Sahu, Jyoti. Et al. 2012. Quisqualis indica Linn : A Review of its Medicinal Properties. http://www.eijppr.com/may2012/15.pdf
6. http://www.philippineherbalmedicine.org/niyog-niyogan.htm
7. http://lmc.lorma.org/pdf/Niyog-Niyogan(March).pdf
8. http://herbolario.livejournal.com/1640.html
9. http://www.medicalhealthguide.com/articles/niyog-niyogan.htm
10. http://www.alagad.com.ph/human-development-and-social-services/36-herbal-medicines-benefits-and-treatment/105-niyog-niyogan.html
11. http://herbalmedicineph.blogspot.com/2012/01/chinese-honeysuckle-niyog-niyogan.html

Compiled by:

Thea Raylin Eslawa

Bs-Pharmacy 3

Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod