INTRODUCTION:

Polygonum chinensis linn belongs to the family Polygonaceae. The plant is widely distributed all over India, from south to north, the Himalayas and Assam. It is an erect shrub up to 1.8 m high. Leaves are variable, oblong- lanceolate to elliptical, flowers are white or pink or purplish red in cymose inflorescence and nuts are dull black in color. Leaf paste is used as external application in boils. Stem juice is taken internally as a fever herb, tonic and vulnerary. Root are found to contain enormous amounts of tannins an phenolic compounds.

Leaves are found to contain Kamferol, Quercetin, Kampferol-7-O-Glycosides, β-Sitosteroid and acids. The plant is reported to have antimicrobial and antipyretic activity. The plant is traditionally used to treat fever, whooping cough, chest diseases and wounds¹.

Synonym :

Persicaria Chinensis (L) H. Gross, Ampcylygonum Chinense (L) Lindi².

Common Name :

Bota-bota (Ig.), Darnon (Ig.), Chinese knotweed ,(Engl.),

Vernacular Name :

English: Common marsh buchwheat ; Chinese: Huo tan mu; French: Liane rouge; Japanese: Tsuru sob;.

Kannada: Nir kaniglu; Tamil: Actalaree, Sivappu kumbakodaali; Irula: Neerkapachi²_.

MORPHOLOGY :

Habit: Herbs, branches long, cylindrical, swollen at nodes, glabrous, up to about 4 feet high

Leaves: Alternate, simple, ovate to ovate-oblong, lamina 3.0-19.5 cm x 2.0- 7.7 cm, black-coloured patches present at the central portion of leaf blade, the tips acute to shortly acuminate, the margins entire to crenate-denticulate, the base rounded or oblique, sometimes amplexicaul basal auricles, hardly winged, both the surface glabrous; petioles cylindrical, about 0.7-2.0 cm long, glabrous or pubiscent; not orchreate stipules, about 3.5 cm long, narrowly lanceolate-acuminate, glabrous.

Inflorescence: Terminally corymbose, the penduncles cylindrical, floral bracts 1.5-4.0 mm long, lanceolate, glabrous.

Flowers: Bracteate, bracteolate, pedicellate, white, 1.3 mm long, complete, bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous.

Perianth: 5, apopetalous, quincuncial, petaloid, about 2.5 mm x 1.5 mm, inferior.

Androecium: Stamens 8, epiphyllus, the filaments about 1.0-2.0 mm long, anther dithecous, dorsifixed, introrse, longitudinal dehiscense, inferior.

Gynaecium: Carpel 1, one ovule in each locule, basal placentation, the style about 1 mm long, ovary trigonous, the stigma trifixed, each with capitate, the stigma about 1 mm, superior.

Fruits: Trigonous-ovoid, not shiny, grayish-black with short beak, enclosed by perianth at maturity.

Seed: Seeds small, with a large starchy endosperm. Microscopical characters of Polygonum chinense L³.

Fl. and Fr. : Jul. - Dec.

DISTRIBUTION :

India, Bhutan, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sikkim, Thailand, Vietnam⁴.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS :

P. chinensis leaf extracts were subjected to photochemical analysis by standard methods to identify the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, amino acids, carbohydrates and glycosides, fixed oils and fats, flavones and flavanones, gums and mucilage, phenolic compounds and tannins, proteins, saponins, sterols, and triterpenoids⁵.

TABLE: 1: Percentage Yield of The Crude Extract¹⁴ :

Parts of The Plant	Weight of the Sample	Weight of the crude extract obtained(gm)	Percentage yield of the crude extract (%)
Root	70	5.6	8.00
Stem	65	4.3	6.61
Leaves	80	6.2	7.75
Whole plant	100	9.8	9.80

TABLE: 2: Phytochemical Studies of Polygonum Chinensis¹⁴:

Test	Whole plant	Leaf	Stem	Root
Glycosides	+	+	-	-
Tannins	+	+	+	+
Saponins	-	-	-	-
Flavonoids	+	+	+	+
Steroids	-	-	-	-
Terpinoids	+	+	+	+
Carbohydrates	-	-	+	-
Proteins	+	+	+	+

Presence : +

Absence : -

Photograph Showing Plant Polygonum Chinensis Shrub

Photograph showing plant Polygonum chinensis flower

Photograph showing plant Polygonum chinensis leaf

TRADITIONAL USES:

The genus Polygonum (Polygonaceae),used in treatment of various diseases such as snake-bites, inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, antivirus, antiseptic, antifungal, diabetic, hypertension, hyperlipemia, jaundice, hemorrhage, cough, fever, ulcers, skin inffections, anemia, diarrhea and various urologic disorders⁶.

POLYGONUM SPECIES:

P. glabrum Willd.; P. barbatum L.; P. fagopyrum L.; P. hydropiper L.; P. molle D. Don.; P. nepalense Meisner⁷.

Polygonum fagopyrum L. syn.: Fagopyrum vulgare Hill Habit : Annual herb, Fl. and Fr. : Sep. – Nov

Pharmacological Activity :Anti-inflammatory activity

Polygonum Barbatum L. syn.: Persicaria barbata (L.) H. Hara , Habit : Perennial herb , Fl. and Fr. : Sep. - Oct.

Pharmacological activity: Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and diuretic activity

Polygonum glabrum Willd., syn.: Persicaria glabra (Willd.), Habit : Annual herb , Fl. and Fr. : Jun. - Sep.

Pharmacological activity : Antipyretic Activity

Polygonum molle D. Don., Habit : Subshrub , Fl. and Fr. : Aug. - Nov., Polygonum hydropiper L. syn.: Persicaria hydropiper (Linnaeus) Spach; Habit : Annual herb, Fl. and Fr. : May – Oct,

Pharmacological activity: Antioxidant activity

Polygonum nepalense Meisner, Syn.: Cephalophilon nepalense (Meisner) Tzvelev, Habit : Annual herb

Fl. and Fr. : May – Oct

PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY:

• Antibacterial, Antifungal activity:

The various leaf extracts of Persicaria chinensis were found to exhibit antibacterial and antifungal activities against the selected pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The methanol and aqueous extracts were comparable to reference drugs amoxicillin and fluconazole⁸.

• AP-1-Targeting Anti-inflammatory/ Hepatoprotective:

A previous study on the bioactivity of the methanol extract of Persicaria chinensis against LPS-induced NO and PGE2 in RAW264.7 macrophages showed prevention of HCl/ EtOH-induced gastric ulcers in mice. In vivo and in vitro assays showed Pc-ME significantly reduced levels of LPS-mediated proinflammatory cytokines. The Pc-ME also showed strong antihepatotoxic activity in vivo in a mouse model of LPS/D-GaIN-induced liver injury, suggesting potential as a hepatoprotective remedy⁹.

• Anti-Inflammatory Activity:

Evaluation of methanolic extract for inhibitory mechanisms and target proteins contributing to the anti-inflammatory responses of the plant. Results showed Pc-ME may play a pivotal role as an anti-inflammatory herbal medicine by targeting Syk and Src kinases and their downstream transcription factor NF-kB¹⁰.

• Anti-Tumor Activity:

Research from China demonstrated in vivo antitumor activity of Polygonum chinense against human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, Bel-7404. Study suggests varieties of P. chinensis var. chinensis may produce different pure compounds with different chemopreventive abilities to treat existing cancers¹¹.

• Anti-Diarrheal Activity:

The ethanol extract of Polygonum chinensis were found to exhibit anti-diarrheal activities in two mice models. Anti-diarrheal effect was attributed to two components ellagic and corilagin¹².

• Gastroprotective Activity :

Evaluation of gastropreventive effect of aqueous leaf extract of P. chinense against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in Sprague Dawley rats and showed the significant gastroprotective activity, ascertained by gross appearance, histology, PAS and immunochemical studies. Activity was partly attributed to preservation of gastric mucus secretions and antioxidant activity¹³.

• Cytotoxic / Antioxidant / Antimicrobial Activity:

All tested extracts of the plant showed moderate inhibition against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial and against fungal strains. The leaf extract showed moderate antioxidant activity in DPPH, lipid peroxidation, and hydrogen peroxide assays. All extracts showed moderate cytotoxicity against all five cell lines tested¹⁴.

• Anthelmintic Activity:

The Study reveals that leaf extracts of Persicaria chinensis for anthelmintic potency against adult earthworm Pheretima posthuma. Aqueous and methanol extracts showed good dose dependent in vitro anthelmintic activity, attributed possibly to the presence of principles like saponins and tannins¹⁵.

• Hepatoprotective Activity:

The Study showed the hepatoprotective effects of alcohol extracts of Polygonum chinense against acute liver injury model in rats induced by CCl₄and showed hepatoprotective activity with significant decrease in ALT, AST, MDA and significant increase in SOD content¹⁶.

CONCLUSION:

Polygonum chinensis has been ethnomedcinally used as therapeutic agent for treatment of variety of diseases as illustrated in the article. The plant appears to have a broad spectrum of activity on several ailments. The various parts of the plant have been explored for Antibacterial, Antifungal, Anti- Inflammatory, Hepatoprotective, Anti-Tumor, Anti-Diarrheal, Gastro-protective, Cytotoxic, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anthelmintic Activities. Hence the particular constituent responsible for the activity may be isolated for further process. In addition, some plant extracts were screened for their preliminary in vitro activities; so, the advance clinical trial of them deserves to be further investigated. Herein, we described the possible applications in clinical research but further investigations on phytochemical discovery and subsequent screenings are needed for opening new opportunities to develop pharmaceuticals based on Polygonum chinensis constituents.

REFERENCES:

1. A.R. Srividya et al., International Journal Of Pharmaceutical Science And Nanotechnology. Jan-Mar 2012; 4(4): 1569-74.

2. www.indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/266372

3. Farrukh Hussain and et al., investigated anti-bacterial, antifungal and insecticidal activities of some selected medicinal plants of polygonaceae and reported that the aerial part of Polygonum chinense exhibit antifungal activity against A. Flavus and A.Solani20.

4. Maharajan M and Rajendran A. Journal of Science. Vol 4. Issue 3. 2014. 144-148.

5. Mei Shu, Lai, D Sudhahar, K Anandarajagopal, International Journal Of Pharmaceutical Sciences And Research 2012; 3(8): 2825-2830.

6. Ganapathi Narasimhulu et al., International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 0975-1491 Vol 6 Issue 2, 2014.

7. Maharajan M and Rajendran A. Journal of Science. Vol 4. Issue 3. 2014. 144-148.

8. Mei Shu, Lai, D Sudhahar, K Anandarajagopal, International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences And Research 2012; 3(8): 2825-2830.

9. Muhammad Jahangir Hossen et al., Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2015 (2015) / http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/608126

10. Muhammad Jahangir Hossen, J Ethnopharmacol 8/1/2015; 159: 9-16.E Pub 8/11/2014

11. Dol Raj Luitel and et al., Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2014; 10:5 www.ethnobiomed.com/ content/10/ 1/5

12. Xiao HT et al., J Ethanopharmacol 16/9/2013; 149(2): 499-505 / doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.07.007. E pub 26/7/2013.

13. Iza Farhana Ismail, et al., Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012; 9 Pages and also available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/404012

14. A.R. Srividya et al., International Journal of Pharmaceutical Science And Nanotechnology. Jan-Mar 2012; 4(4): 1569-74.

15. Shu Mei Lai, D. Sudhahar, K. Anandarajagopal / International Journal of Biological and Pharmaceutical Research. 2012; 3(3): 400-404.

16. Gao Ya, Zhu Hua. West China Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2012-13.

Received on 25.10.2016 Modified on 10.11.2016

Res. J. Pharmacology & Pharmacodynamics.2016; 8(4): 185-188.

DOI: 10.5958/2321-5836.2016.00034.3