Grewia asiatica L., is a species native to south Asia from Pakistan, east to Cambodia, cultivated primarily for its edible fruit and well-reputed for its diverse medicinal uses. Fruits are a rich source of nutrients such as proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals and contain various bioactive compounds, like anthocyanins, tannins, phenolics and flavonoids. Different parts of this plant possess different pharmacological properties. Leaves have antimicrobial, anticancer, antiplatelet and antiemetic activities; fruit possess anticancer, antioxidant, radioprotective and antihyperglycemic properties; while stem bark possesses analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. This review focuses on the botanical description, phytochemistry, nutritional studies and pharmacological properties of this plant.
References
[1]
Ali, S.I. Flora of West Pakistan, Family Tiliaceae; Fakhri Printing Press: Karachi, Pakistan, 1974.
[2]
Bayer, C.; Kubitzki, K. Malvaceae, the Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Flowering Plants, Dicoyledons; Springer-Verlag: Berlin, Germany, 2003.
[3]
Ullah, W.; Uddin, G.; Siddiqui, B.S. Ethnic uses, pharmacological and phytochemical profile of genus Grewia. J. Asian Nat. Prod. Res. 2012, 14, 186–195.
[4]
4Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Cavar, S.; Qayum, M.; Imran, I.; de Feo, V. Compositional studies: Antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2011, 12, 8846–8861.
[5]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Ahmad, S.; Iqbal, S.; Luthria, D.L.; Amarowicz, R. Antioxidant potential of lentil cultivars. Oxid. Commun. 2011, 34, 819–831.
[6]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Khan, B.A.; Landa, P.; Kutil, Z.; Ahmed, S.; Qayum, M.; Ahmad, S. Platelet aggregation and anti-inflammatory effects of garden pea, desi chickpea and kabuli chickpea. Acta Pol. Pharm. 2012, 69, 707–711.
[7]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Ahmad, S.; Amarowicz, R.; de Feo, V. Antioxidant activity of the extracts of some cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.) cultivars commonly consumed in Pakistan. Molecules 2013, 18, 2005–2017.
[8]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Ahmad, M.; Jabeen, M.; Jehan, N.; Ahmad, S.; Qayum, M.; Inamullah, K.M. Antimicrobial screening of selected flora of Pakistan. Arch. Biol. Sci. 2011, 63, 691–695.
[9]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Landa, P.; Kutil, Z.; Ahmad, S. Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of selected legumes from Pakistan: In vitro inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2. Pak. J. Pharm. Sci. 2013, 26, 185–187.
[10]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Riaz, M.; de Feo, V. Ipomea hederacea Jacq.: A medicinal herb with promising health benefits. Molecules 2012, 17, 13132–13145.
[11]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Ahmad, S.; Qayum, M.; Erci？li, S. Compositional studies and antioxidant potential of Albizia Lebbeck (L.) Benth. Turk. J. Biol. 2013, 37, 25–32.
[12]
Sastri, B.N. The Wealth of India Raw Material Number 4 Grewia Linn; Council of Scientific and Iindustrial Research: New Delhi, India, 1956.
[13]
Tripathi, S.; Chaurey, M.; Balasubramaniam, A.; Balakrishnan, N. Grewia asiatica Linn. as a phytomedicine. Res. J. Pharm. Tech. 2010, 3, 1–3.
[14]
Kirtikar, K.R.; Basu, B.D. Indian Medicinal Plants; Lalit Mohan Publication: Allahabad, India, 2000.
[15]
Gupta, M.K.; Sharma, P.K.; Ansari, S.H.; Lagarkha, R. Pharmacognostical evaluation of Grewia asiatica fruits. Int. J. Plant Sci. 2006, 1, 249–251.
[16]
Anand, J.C. Efficacy of sodium benzoate to control yeast fermentation in phalsa (Grewia asiatica L.) juice. Indian J. Hort. 1960, 17, 138–141.
[17]
Panda, H. Handbook on Ayurvedic Medicines with Formulae, Processes and Their Uses; National Institute of Industrial Research: New Delhi, India, 2002.
[18]
Sharma, K.V.; Sisodia, R. Evaluation of free radical scavenging activity and radioprotective efficacy of Grewia asiatica fruit. J. Radiol. Prot. 2009, 29, 429–443.
[19]
Morton, J. Phalsa. In Fruits of Warm Climates; J.F. Morton Publisher: Miami, FL, USA, 1987.
[20]
Lavekar, G.S. Database on Medicinal Plants Used in Ayurveda & Siddha; Central Council for Research in Ayurveda & Siddha: New Delhi, India, 2008.
[21]
Pallavi, K.J.; Singh, R.; Singh, S.; Singh, K.; Farswan, M.; Singh, V. Aphrodisiac agents from medicinal plants: A review. J. Chem. Pharm. Res. 2011, 3, 911–921.
[22]
Mishra, R.K.; Patel, S.P.; Srivastava, A.; Vashistha, R.K.; Singh, A.; Puskar, A.K. Ethnomedicinally important plants of Pachmarhi region, Madhya Pradesh, India. Nat. Sci. 2012, 10, 22–26.
[23]
Sisodia, R.; Singh, S. Biochemical, behavioural and quantitative alterations in cerebellum of Swiss albino mice following irradiation and its modulation by Grewia asiatica. Int. J. Radiat. Biol. 2009, 85, 787–795.
[24]
Muhammad, I.C.; Khan, M.A.; Hanif, W. Ethnoveterinary medicinal uses of plants from Samahni valley Distt. Bhimber, (Azad Kashmir) Pakistan. Asian J. Plant Sci. 2006, 5, 390–396.
[25]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M., Shahid; Muhammed, S.; Qayum, M.; Khan, I.; Ahmad, S. Antimalarial, antiemetic and antidiabetic potential of Grewia asiatica L. leaves. J. Med. Plants Res. 2012, 6, 3213–3216.
[26]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Shahid, S.A.; Ahmed, S.; Qayum, M.; Khan, I. Antiplatelet activity of methanol extract of G. asiatica L. leaves and Terminalla chebula Retz. fruits. J. Med. Plants Res. 2012, 6, 2029–2032.
[27]
Sosef, M.S.M.; Hong, L.T.; Prawirohatmodjo, S. Timber Trees: Lesser Known Species; Backhuys Publishers: Leiden, The Netherlands, 1998.
[28]
Dhawan, K.; Malhotra, S.; Dhawan, S.S.; Singh, D.; Dhindsa, K.D. Nutrient composition and electrophoretic pattern of protein in two distinct types of phalsa (Grewia subinequalis DC). Plant Food Hum. Nutr. 1993, 44, 255–260.
[29]
Yadav, A.K. Phalsa: A Potential New Small Fruit for Georgia. In Perspectives on New Crops and New Uses; Janick, J., Ed.; ASHS Press: Alexandria, VA, USA, 1999; pp. 348–352.
[30]
Mukhtar, H.M.; Kaur, H.; Singh, S.; Singh, M. Standardization and preliminary phytochemical investigation of the fruits of Grewia asiatica Linn. Res. J. Pharm. Phytochem. 2012, 4, 212–214.
[31]
Hasnain, A.; Ali, R. Protein and amino acids of Grewia asiatica. Pak. J. Sci. Ind.Res. 1988, 31, 777–779.
[32]
Singh, D.; Chaudhary, M.; Chauhan, P.S.; Prahalad, V.C.; Kavita, A. Value addition to forest produce for nutrition and livelihood. Ind. Forest. 2009, 135, 1271–1284.
[33]
Khurdiya, D.S.; Anand, J.C. Effect of extraction method, container and storage temperature on phalsa fruit juice. Ind. Food Pac. 1981, 35, 6–7.
[34]
Amba, D. Some new fruit beverages. Indian Hort. 1973, 18, 5–7.
[35]
Hasnain, A.; Ali, R. Amino acid composition of Grewia asiatica (Falsa) as index of juice quality. Pak. J. Sci. Ind. Res. 1992, 35, 514–515.
[36]
Khan, A.S.; Hussain, A.; Khan, F. Nutritional importance of micronutrients in some edible wild and unconventional fruits. J. Chem. Soc. Pak. 2006, 28, 576–582.
[37]
Patil, P.; Patel, M.M.; Bhavsar, C.J. Preliminary phytochemical and hypoglycemic activity of leaves of Grewia asiatica L. Res. J. Pharm. Biol. Chem. Sci. 2011, 2, 516–520.
Sharma, P.C.; Yelne, M.B.; Dennis, T.J.; Joshi, A. Database on Medicinal Plants Used in Ayurveda; Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha: New Delhi, India, 2008; Volume 5.
[40]
Chattopadhyay, S.; Pakrashi, S.C. Indian medicinal plants. XXXIV. Triterpenes from Grewia asiatica. J. Ind. Chem. Sci. 1975, 52, 553.
[41]
Lakshmi, V.; Chauhan, J.S. Grewinol, a keto-alcohol from the flowers of Grewia asiatica. Lloydia 1976, 39, 372–374.
[42]
Lakshmi, V.; Agarwal, S.K.; Chauhan, J.S. A new δ-lactone from the flowers of Grewia asiatica. Phytochemistry 1976, 15, 1397–1399.
[43]
Abou Zeid, A.H.S.; Sleem, A.A. Anti-hyperlipidemic effect and lipoidal constituents of Grewia asiatica L. leaves. Bull. Natl. Res. Cent. 2005, 30, 557–573.
[44]
Ali, S.I.; Khan, N.A.; Husain, I. Flavonoid constituents of Grewia asiatica. J. Sci. Res. 1982, 4, 55–56.
[45]
Gupta, P.; Sharma, A.; Verma, A.K. GC/MS profiling and antimicrobial effect of six Indian tropical fruit residues against clinically pathogenic bacterial strain. Int. J. Adv. Pharm. Res. 2012, 3, 1229–1235.
[46]
Asghar, M.N.; Khan, I.U.; Sherin, L.; Ashfaq, M. Evaluation of antioxidant activity of Grewia asiatica berry using 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzoline-6-sulphonic acid) and N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine radical cations decolourazation assays. Asian. J. Chem. 2008, 20, 5123–5132.
[47]
Siddiqi, R.; Naz, S.; Ahmad, S.; Sayeed, S.A. Antimicrobial activity of the polyphenolic fractions derived from Grewia asiatica, Eugenia jambolana and Carissa carandas. Int. J. Food Sci. Tech. 2011, 46, 250–256.
[48]
Gupta, M.K.; Lagarkha, R.; Sharma, D.K.; Sharma, P.K.; Singh, R.; Ansari, H.S. Antioxidant activity of the successive extracts of Grewia asiatica leaves. Asian. J. Chem. 2007, 19, 3417–3420.
[49]
Srivastava, J.; Kumar, S.; Vankar, P.S. Correlation of antioxidant activity and phytochemical profile in native plants. Nutr. Food Sci. 2012, 42, 71–79.
[50]
Gupta, P.; Bhatnagar, I.; Kim, S.; Verma, A.K.; Sharma, A. In vitro cancer cell cytotoxicity and alpha amylase inhibition effect of seven tropical fruit residues. Asian Pac. J. Trop. Biomed. 2013. in press.
[51]
Das, S.; Das, S.; De, B. In vitro inhibition of key enzymes related to diabetes by the aqueous extracts of some fruits of West Bengal, India. Curr. Nutr. Food Sci. 2012, 8, 19–24, doi:10.2174/157340112800269614.
[52]
Ahaskar, M.; Sharma, K.V. Modulation of radiation induced biochemical changes in brain of swiss albino mice by Grewia asiatica. Asian J. Exp. Sci. 2006, 20, 399–404.
[53]
Ahaskar, M.; Sharma, K.V.; Singh, S.; Sisodia, R. Radioprotective effect of fruit extract of Grewia asiatica in swiss albino mice against lethal dose of γ-irradiation. Asian J. Exp. Sci. 2007, 21, 297–310.
[54]
Singh, S.; Sharma, K.V.; Sisodia, R. Radioprotective role of Grewia asiatica in mice blood. Pharmacologyonline 2007, 2, 32–43.
[55]
Ahaskar, M.; Sharma, K.V.; Singh, S.; Sisodia, R. Post treatment effect of Grewia asiatica against radiation induced biochemical changes in cerebrum of Swiss albino mice. J. Radiat. Res. 2007, 5, 101–105.
[56]
Sisodia, R.; Ahaskar, M.; Sharma, K.V.; Singh, S. Modulation of radiation-induced biochemical changes in cerebrum of swiss albino mice by Grewia asiatica. Acta Neurobiol. Exp. 2008, 68, 32–38.
[57]
Sisodia, R.; Singh, S.; Sharma, K.V.; Ahaskar, M. Post treatment effect of Grewia asiatica against radiation induced biochemical alterations in Swiss albino mice. J. Environ. Pathol. Toxicol. Oncol. 2008, 27, 113–121, doi:10.1615/JEnvironPatholToxicolOncol.v27.i2.40.
[58]
Sharma, K.V.; Sisodia, R. Radioprotective potential of Grewia asiatica fruit extract in mice testis. Pharmacologyonline 2010, 1, 487–495.
[59]
Sharma, K.V.; Sisodia, R. Hepatoprotective efficacy of Grewia asiatica fruit against oxidative stress in swiss albino mice. Iran. J. Rad. Res. 2010, 8, 75–85.
[60]
Marya, B.; Dattani, K.H.; Patel, D.D.; Patel, P.D.; Patel, D.; Suthar, M.P.; Patel, V.P.; Bothara, S.B. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of aqueous fruit and leaf extracts of Grewia asiatica using MTT assay. Pharm. Chem. 2011, 3, 282–287.
[61]
Kakoti, B.B.; Selvan, V.T.; Manikandan, L.; Gupta, M.; Mazumder, U.K.; Das, B. Antitumor and in vitro cytoxicity activity of the methanolic extract of Grewia asiatica against Ehrilch’s ascites carcinoma cell lines. Pharmacologyonline 2011, 3, 956–960.
[62]
Israr, F.; Hassan, F.; Naqvi, B.S.; Azhar, I.; Jabeen, S.; Hasan, S.M.F.H. Studies on antibacterial activity of some traditional medicinal plants used in folk medicine. Pak. J. Pharm. Sci. 2012, 25, 669–674.
[63]
Sangita, K.; Avijit, M.; Shilpa, P.; Shivkanya, J. Studies of the antifungal and antiviral activity of methanolic extract of leaves of Grewia asiatica. Pharmacogn. J. 2009, 1, 221–223.
[64]
Parveen, A.; Irfan, M.; Mohammad, F. Antihyperglycemic activity in Grewia asiatica, a comparative investigation. Int. J. Pharm. Pharm. Sci. 2012, 4, 210–213.
[65]
Latif, K.A.A.; Prasad, A.K.; Kumar, S.; Iyer, S.V.; Patel, H.A.; Patel, J.A. Comparative antidiabetic studies of leaves of Ipomoea carnea and Grewia asiatica on streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Int. J. Pharm. Biol. Arch. 2012, 3, 853–857.
[66]
Mesaik, M.A.; Ahmed, A.; Khalid, A.S.; Jan, S.; Siddiqui, A.A.; Perveen, S.; Azim, M.K. Effect of Grewia asiatica fruit on glycemic index and phagocytosis tested in healthy human subjects. Pak. J. Pharm. Sci. 2013, 1, 85–89.
[67]
Debajyoti, D.; Achintya, M.; Debdas, D.; Achintya, S.; Jayram, H. Evaluation of antipyretic and analgesic activity of parusaka (Grewia asiatica Linn.): An indigenous Indian plant. Int. J. Res. Ayurveda Pharm. 2012, 3, 519–524.
[68]
Bajpai, S.; Hussain, T.; Pathak, R.; Hussain, A. Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of Grewia asiatica methanolic fruit extract in wistar rats. Asian Pac. J. Trop. Biomed. 2012, 10, 1–4.
[69]
Yaqueen, Z.; Sohail, T.; Rahman, A.; Salim, M.; Rahman, Z. Evaluation of antiemetic activities of alcoholic extract of Grewia asiatica in experimental model dog. Pak. J. Sci. Ind. Res. 2008, 51, 212–215.
[70]
Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Shah, M.R.; Qayum, M.; Ercisli, S. Biological screening of selected flora of Pakistan. Biol. Res. 2012, 45, 375–379.
[71]
Siyal, A.N.; Memon, S.Q.; Khaskheli, M.I. Optimization and equilibrium studies of Pb (II) removal by Grewia asiatica seed: A factorial design approach. Pol. J. Chem. Technol. 2012, 14, 71–77.
[72]
Rehman, R.; Abbas, A.; Murtaza, S.; Mahmud, T.; Zaman, W.; Salman, M.; Shafique, U. Comparative removal of congo red dye from water by adsorption on Grewia asiatica leaves, Raphanus sativus peels and activated charcoal. J. Chem. Soc. Pak. 2012, 34, 113–119.
