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Boerhavia diffusa L.

Summary
It is commonly known as Punarnava and belongs to the Nyctaginaceae family. Leaves and tender shoots are eaten after cooking. B. diffusa is rich in a type of rotenoid called Boeravinone. Fourteen types of Boeravinone are present in this plant as bioactives. Kaempferol 3-O-(2"-rhamnosyl)-robinobioside, 3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxycinnamoyl-rhamnoside, Orientin, β-sisitosterol, Punarnavine are among the other bioactive compounds reported from the plant. Punarnavine significantly reduced the LPS induced elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in Balb/c mice that shows reduced inflammatory response.

Mode of Consumption : Sauteed, fried and boiled
Plant Details Agro-climatic Zone Vernacular Names Pictures
Scientific Name: Boerhavia diffusa L.
Family: Nyctaginaceae Juss.
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Genus: Boerhavia Vaill. ex L.
Fruiting Season: July to November
Parts: Leaves & Tender shoots
  • The Eastern Coastal Region
  • The North-Eastern Hill Region
  • The Middle Ganga Plain Region
  • The Upper Ganga Plain Region
  • The Gujarat Region
  • The Satluj-Yamuna Plain Region
  • North-Western Mountain Region
  • The South-Eastern Plateau Region
  • The Western Coastal Region
  • The Aravali-Malwa Upland
  • The Maharashtra Plateau Region & The Western Coastal Region
  • The South-Eastern Plateau Region & The Eastern Coastal Region
  • The Western Rajasthan Region & The Aravali-Malwa Upland
  • The Deccan Interior Region & The Eastern Coastal Region
  • The Deccan Interior Region
  • The Upper Ganga Plain Region & The Middle Ganga Plain Region
  • The Lower Ganga Plain Region
 Andhra Pradesh : Punarnava, Rakta punarnava
Bihar : Biskhafra, Sant
Delhi : Biskhafra, Sant
Gujarat : Satodi, Vakha khaparo
Haryana : Biskhafra, Sant
Jharkhand : Biskhafra, Sant
Kerala : Thazhuthama
Madhya Pradesh : Biskhafra, Sant
Maharashtra : Tambadi vasu
Punjab : Itsit
Rajasthan : Biskhafra, Sant
Tamil Nadu : Mukaratte-kirei
Telangana : Punarnava, Rakta punarnava
Uttar Pradesh : Biskhafra, Sant
Uttarakhand : Biskhafra, Sant
West Bengal : Gadhapurna, Punarnava, Rakta punarnava

Plant
Compound/Extract Activity Mode of Action Marker/References
Punarnavine (alkaloid)Anti-inflammatoryPunarnavine, an alkaloid from Boerhavia diffusa significantly reduced the LPS induced elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in Balb/c mice that shows reduced inflammatory response.TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6[4]
Ethanolic extractImmunomodulatoryEthanolic extract of B. diffusa significantly inhibits human NK cell cytotoxicity when effectors are incubated over-night. Ethanolic extract of B. diffusa inhibited LPS induced NO production in mouse macrophage cells, RAW.264.7 at 100 and 500 Ag/ml concentrations. B. diffusa extract at a concentration as low as 10 Ag/ml inhibited PHA-stimulated IL-2 as well as LPS-stimulated TNF-a production in human PBMCs culture when cells were exposed to extract for 18 h.IL-2 and TNF-α[5]
Major Class Metabolites (Content of bioactives: mg/100g Fresh Weight)
AlkaloidPunarnavine : [3]
Carboxylic AcidFerulic acid: , Vanillic acid: [2]
Flavonoid3,3′,5-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone: , 4′,7-dihydroxy-3′-methylflavone: , 6-methoxykaempferol 3-O-(1-6)-robinoside: , Catechin: , Dihydroxy-teramethoxyflavone: , Eupalitin: , Eupalitin-3- O-galactopyranoside: , Hydroxy-methylflavone: , Isorhamnetin-O-hexoside: , Isovitexin: , Kaempferol: , Kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside: , Narcissin: , Orientin: , Quercetin: , Rutin: , Tehrahydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone-Odihexoside: [2]
Heterocyclic CompoundEpicatechin: [2]
LignanLiriodendrin: , Syringaresinol mono-D-glycoside: [3]
Phenolic acid3,4-dimethoxyphenyl-1- O-glucopyranoside: , Caffeic acid: , Protocatechuic acid: [2]
Phenolic compound3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxycinnamoyl-rhamnoside: , 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone 3-O-galactosyl(1’!2) glucoside: , Caffeoyltartaric acid: , Euphalitin 3-O-galactoside : , Kaempferol 3-O-(2"- rhamnosyl)-robinobioside: , Kaempferol 3-O-robinobioside: , Quercetin 3-O-(2"-rhamnosyl)- robinobioside: , Quercetin-3-Orhamnosyl(1-6)galactoside: [1]
RotenoidBoeravinone A: , Boeravinone B: , Boeravinone C: , Boeravinone D: , Boeravinone E: , Boeravinone G: , Boeravinone H: , Boeravinone I: , Boeravinone J : , Boeravinone K: , Boeravinone L: , Boeravinone M: , Boeravinone N: , Boeravinone O: [1]
Sterol3-O-(6'-palmitoyl-â-D-glucopyranosyl) sitosterol: , β-sisitosterol: [3]
Effect Observation DOI
Disease Formulation Reference Author TKDL
Information from Wealth of India Reference
  • The root of the plant, considered as laxative has diuretic (especially in combination with iron) and expectorant properties, useful in asthma.
  • In large doses, it acts as an emetic.
  • Alkaloid punnarnavine is the bioactive compound reported from the plant.
CSIR(1948).The Wealth of India, Raw materials,Vol.-I ,P.199, New Delhi, India
4.2, 4.2.1, 4.2.1.1, 4.2.1.3, 4.2.2.8, 4.2, 4.2.1, 4.2.1.1, 4.2.1.3, 4.2.2.8
    CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat-6, Assam, India
    CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur-61,Himachal Pradesh, India