Curry Leaves – A Medicinal
Herb
Sinha Parul* , Akhtar Javed , Batra Neha
, Jain Honey , Bhardwaj Anuj
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jaipur
National University, Jaipur
*Corresponding Author E-mail: parulsinha2020@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Plants are one of the most important sources of
medicines. Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii) is an important leafy vegetable. Its leaves
are widely used in Indian cookery for flavouring
foodstuffs. Curry leaf is Native to India. Large shrub to small tree. Pinnate
leaves are used in many South Indian curries. The major constituents identified
were the volatile oil of the fresh leaves of Murraya koenigii.
Its nutritional value benefits both the young and the old alike. Women
who suffer from calcium deficiency, osteoporosis etc can find an ideal natural
calcium supplement in curry leaves. They are also used externally to cure
eruptions and the bites of poisonous animals. Curry leaves can be used with
effective result to treat burn, bruises and skin eruption. Kidney pain can be
cured by using juice of root of Murrayakoenigii. It can be used in preventing premature greying of hair. A volatile oil, curry leaf oil, produced
from the plant has uses in the soap industry.
INTRODUCTION:
Herbal and
natural products of folk medicine have been used for centuries in every culture
throughout the world. Scientists and medical professionals have shown increased
interest in this field as they recognize the true health benefits of these
remedies. “Let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food.” Plants are
one of the most important sources of medicines. The medicinal plants are rich
in secondary metabolites (which are potential sources of drugs) and essential
oils of therapeutic importance. The important advantages claimed for
therapeutic uses of medicinal plants in various ailments are their safety
besides being economical, effective and their easy availability.(1)
Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii)
is an important leafy vegetable. Its leaves are widely used in Indian cookery
for flavouring foodstuffs. The leaves have a slightly
pungent, bitter and feebly acidic taste, and they retain their flavour and other qualities even after drying. Curry leaf is
also used in many of the Indian ayurvedic and unani
prescriptions.
The plant
originated in the Tarai region of Uttar Pradesh,
India, and at present it is cultivated in Burma, Ceylon, China, Australia and
the Pacific Islands. The crop is usually propagated by seeds. A volatile oil,
curry leaf oil, produced from the plant has uses in the soap industry. (2)
Synonyms:
Hindi: Curry Leaves
Bengali: Barsunga
Gujarati: Limdo or meetholimdo
Kannada: Karibue
Marathi: Kadhilimbu
Telugu: Karivepku (3)
Geographical
Distribution
Murraya koenigii originates from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and
India east to China and Hainan. It has been widely cultivated in South-East
Asia and some parts of the United States and Australia. In tropical Africa it
is planted in many countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and most of
the Indian Ocean Islands, where Indian immigrants settled.(3)
Cultivation
and collection:
Flowering starts
from the middle of April and ends in the middle of May. The peak flowering
season under the Sanwara (H.P.) conditions was
observed to be the last week of April. The fruiting season was observed to continue
from the middle of July to the end of August. The peak fruiting season,
however, was found to continue from the last week of July to the 1st week of
August.
Curry leaf is
Native to India. Large shrub to small tree. Pinnate leaves are used in many South
Indian curries. Full sun or light shade. Fertilize with palm or citrus
fertilizer to promote leaf production. Grows well in containers. Use a well
drained potting mix. Can be grown outdoors in Southern California, South Texas
and South Florida. Protect from freezing. Seeds are fragile so handle with
care. Seeds are shipped in moist peatmoss/coir mix
and should be planted immediately.
Classification:
Scientific
Classification
Kingdom |
Plantae – Plants |
Subkingdom |
Tracheobionta –
Vascular plants |
Superdivision |
Spermatophyta –
Seed plants |
Division |
Magnoliophyta –
Flowering plants |
Class |
Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons |
Subclass |
|
Order |
|
Family |
Rutaceae – Rue
family |
Genus |
Murraya J. Koenig
ex L. – murraya |
Species |
Murrayakoenigii (L.) Spreng. – curryleaftree |
Morphological
characters:
A small spreading
shrub, about 2.5 metres high; the main stem, dark
green to brownish, with numerous dots on it; its bark can be peeled off
longitudinally, exposing the white wood underneath; the girth of the main stem
is 16 cm.
Leaves, exstipulate, bipinnately
compound, 30 cm long, each bearing 24 leaflets, having reticulate venation;
leaflets, lanceolate, 4.9 cm long, 1.8 cm broad,
having 0.5-cm-long petiole.
Flowers,
bisexual, white, funnel-shaped, sweetly scented, stalked, complete, ebracteate, regular, actinomorphic,
pentamerous, hypogynous,
the average diameter of a fully opened flower being 1.12 cm; inflorescence, a
terminal cyme, each bearing 60 to 90 flowers; calyx,
5-lobed, persistent, inferior, green; corolla, white, polypetalous, inferior,
with 5 petals, lanceolate; length, 5 mm; androecium, polyandrous, inferior, with 10 stamens, dorsifixed, arranged into circles of five each; smaller
stamens, 4 mm. long whereas the longer ones, 5 to 6 mm; gynoecium,
5 to 6 mm long; stigma, bright, sticky; style, short; ovary, superior.
Fruits, round to
oblong, 1.4 to 1.6 cm long, 1 to 1.2 cm in diameter; weight, 880 mg; volume,
895 microlitres; fully ripe fruits, black with a very
shining surface; pulp, Wistaria blue 640/2; the
number of fruits per cluster varying from 32 to 80.
Seed, one in each
fruit, 11 mm long, 8 mm in diameter, colour spinach
green 0960/3; weight, 445 mg; volume, 460 microlitres.(4)
Microscopy:
The root shows
tetrarch to pentarchstele, phellodermfibres
are absent and concentric grains of parenchyma are present. Fresh leaves on
steam distillation under pressure yield 206% of volatile oil that may find use
as a fixative. The fruit is edible. It yields 0.76% of a yellow volatile oil
with neroli like odour.
Transverse section shows a dorsi ventral structure.
Epidermis is composed of cubical to slightly tangentially elongated cells. The
upper epidermal cells in surface view are polyhedral and straight walled. Trichomes are rare unicellular and found mainly on midrib.
Stomata anomocytic; palisade of two layers;
irregularly arrange disodiametrical or rectangular
cells constitute the spongy parenchyma. Calcium oxalate crystals present in the
form of prisms. Secretary canals are large and circular. The midrib shows an
arc of radiating xylem with phloem below. Pericyclic
fibers appear in patches below the phloem. The fibers measure 2000μ in
length. Inner to the lower epidermis is present 1 to 3 layers of collenchyma. Ground tissue is composed of thin parenchymatous polygonal cells.(4)
Powder
Characteristic:
Green in color
with no distinct odour or taste, unicellular, bent or
curved trichomes, two layered palisade, portion of secretory canals, well developed pericyclic
fibers and a few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate are the important
identifying characters. Leaves are pinnate and green in colour.
Taste of leaves are bitter and aromatic. (4)
Chemical
constituents
Leaves: The
chemical composition of the volatile oil of the fresh leaves of Murrayakoenigii growing wild was analyzed by gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry. Thirty-four compounds consisting of 97.4% of
the oil were identified. The major constituents identified were alpha-pinene (51.7%), sabinene (10.5%),
beta-pinene (9.8%), beta-caryophyllene
(5.5%), limonene (5.4%), bornyl acetate (1.8%),
terpinen-4-ol (1.3%), gamma-terpinene (1.2%) and
alpha-humulene (1.2%). (5)
Stem Bark: Four carbazole alkaloids, identified as mahanimbine
, girinimbine , murrayanine murrayafoline-A and
one triterpene can be isolated from stem bark and
roots of Murrayakoenigii.(5)
Identification
test:
The powder when
treated with 1 N methanolic sodium hydroxide shows
yellowish white colour and when mounted in
nitrocellulose emits chocolate fluorescence.(5)
Traditional
uses: The bark and the
roots are used as a stimulant by the physicians. They are also used externally
to cure eruptions and the bites of poisonous animals. The green leaves are
stated to be eaten raw for curing dysentery, and the infusion of the washed
leaves stops vomiting.
Curry leaves are
also used in calcium deficiency. It has Vitamin A,
Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin B2, Calcium and iron in plenty. Its nutritional
value benefits both the young and the old alike. Women who suffer from calcium
deficiency, osteoporosis etc can find an ideal natural calcium supplement in
curry leaves.
Fresh juice of
curry leaves, with lime juice
and sugar, is an effective medicine in the treatment of morning sickness,
nausea and vomiting due to indigestion and excessive use of fats. One or two teaspoons
of juice of these leaves mixed with a teaspoon of lime juice may be taken in
these conditions. The curry leaves, ground to a fine paste and mixed with
buttermilk, can also be taken on an empty stomach with beneficial results in
case of stomach upsets. Also used as laxative. Boils and similar eruptions
appear on skin during summer. Most of the boils tend to subside over time, but
some may persist and remain painful. Curry leaves come handy in treating such
conditions. A paste made of curry leaves is applied on these persistent boils
for quick relief.
Along with mint
leaves and coriander leaves, curry leaves can be used in treating excessive pitta conditions. Curry leaves can be used with effective
result to treat burn, bruises and skin erruption.
Cataract
development can be prevented by using fresh juice of curry leaves.
Kidney pain can
be cured by using juice of root of Murrayakoenigii. It can be used in preventing premature greying
of hair.(5)
Pharmacological
activity
A
scrutiny of literature reveals some notable pharmacological activities of the
plant such as activity on heart, Anti diabetic and cholesterol reducing
property, antimicrobial activity, antiulcer activity, antioxidative
property, cytotoxic activity, anti diarrhea activity,
phagocytic activity. (6)
The antioxidative properties of the leaves extracts of Murrayakoenigii
using different solvents were evaluated based on the oil stability index.(7)
M. koenigii
possesses statistically significant hypoglycemic potential in STZ-induced
diabetic rats. The M. koenigii extract appeared to be more effective than glibenclamide, a known antidiabetic
drug.(8)
It
also revealed hepato-protective activity against
ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. Chronic ethanol
consumption diminishes the cellular antioxidant levels through free radical
induced injury causing hepatitis and cirrhosis with mortality in severe
cases.(9)
It
also shows antibacterial activity against S. typhi
and E.coli. (10)
Carbazole derivatives are well known for their various
pharmacological activities, including anti-HIV, anticancer, antibacterial and
antifungal activities. A series of substituted carbazoles,
termed N-alkylated 3,6-dihalogenocarbazoles, that
exhibit fungicidal activity against C. albicans and the emerging pathogen Candida glabrata. The most potent
fungicidal compounds of this series were characterized by minimal fungicidal
concentration (MFC) between 8.5 and 25 μM.(11).
CONCLUSION:
Curry leaves (Murraya koenigii )
is a leafy vegetable that belongs to the Rutaceae
family. The various notable pharmacological
activities of the plant such as activity on heart, Anti diabetic and
cholesterol reducing property, antimicrobial activity, antiulcer activity, antioxidative property, cytotoxic
activity, anti diarrhea activity, phagocytic
activity. The chemical composition of the fresh leaves of
Murrayakoenigii consists of volatile oil. Carbazole
alkaloids and triterpene have been isolated from stem
bark and roots of Murraya koenigii.
Thus Curry leaves merits further phytochemical,
pharmacological and clinical investigations for development of an effective
natural remedy to provide therapeutically effective lead compounds.
REFERENCES:
1. Murraya koenigii information from NPGS/GRIN".
www.ars-grin.gov. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl? 24703.
Retrieved 2012-03-28.
2. Salikutty Joseph and K. V. Peter,
Curry leaf ( Murrayakoenigii ), perennial,
nutritious, leafy vegetable ,Economic Botany 2008 , 39
(1): 68-73.
3. Ajay, Rahul, Sumit, Paras,
Mishra, Gaurav,
Comprehensive review: Murrayakoenigii Linn , Asian Journal of Pharmacy and
Life Science, 2011; 1 (4) 2231 – 4423.
4. S. D. Bonde, L. S. Nemade, M. R. Patel,
A. A. Patel, Murrayakoenigii (Curry
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Review, International Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Phytopharmacological Research ,
2007,4(5) : 45-54.
5. Jasim Uddin Chowdhury,
Md. Nazrul Islam Bhuiyan
and Mohammed Yusuf, Chemical composition of the leaf essential oils of Murrayakoenigii (L.) Spreng and Murrayapaniculata (L.) Jack,Bangladesh
J Pharmacol 2008; 3: 59-63.
6. Syam, Suvitha; Abdul, Ahmad Bustamam; Sukari, Mohd. Aspollah; Mohan, Syam; Abdelwahab, Siddig Ibrahim; Wah, Tang Sook. "The Growth Suppressing Effects of Girinimbine on Hepg2 Involve Induction of Apoptosis and
Cell Cycle Arrest". Molecules 2011,
16 (8): 7155–70.
7. Arulselvan P, Subramanian SP. "Beneficial
effects of Murraya koenigii
leaves on antioxidant defense system and ultra structural changes of pancreatic
beta-cells in experimental diabetes in rats". Chem Biol Interact., 2007 16(2): 155–64..
8. Arulselvan P, Senthilkumar GP, Sathish Kumar D, Subramanian S. "Anti-diabetic effect
of Murrayakoenigii leaves on streptozotocin
induced diabetic rats". Pharmazie , 2006, 61 (10): 874–877.
9. Rupali Arun Patil,
Padmaja Mukund Langade, Pramod Babarao Dighade, and Yogesh Ashok Hiray, Antinociceptive activity of acute and chronic
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L. leaves in experimental animal models, Indian J Pharmacol.
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10. Jaju Shivkanya, Pahwa Shilpa, Kumari
Sangita, Fuloria Neeraj, Pharmacognostical studies
and antibacterial activity of the leaves of Murrayakoenigii,
[Phcog J]
| 2009, 1(3) : 1-5.
11. Yukari
Tachibana Hiroe Kikuzaki Nordin Hj. Lajis and Nobuji Nakatan, Antioxidative
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Received on 04.04.2012 Accepted on 10.05.2012
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Asian J. Pharm.
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