Gonfa et al. Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
(2021) 10:18
https://doi.org/10.1186/s43088-021-00110-1
Beni-Suef University Journal of
Basic and Applied Sciences
REVIEW
Open Access
Phytochemical investigation and potential
pharmacologically active compounds of
Rumex nepalensis: an appraisal
Yilma Hunde Gonfa1,2, Fekade Beshah2,3, Mesfin Getachew Tadesse2, Archana Bachheti4 and
Rakesh Kumar Bachheti2*
Abstract
Background: Rumex nepalensis, a widely known traditional medicinal plant and is used as the source of medicines
and human diet in various communities. Currently, the phytochemical investigation and pharmacological studies of R.
nepalensis are of significant research interest. Therefore, the current review is mainly focused on the phytochemical
investigation and pharmacological applications of R. nepalensis
Main body: Various secondary metabolites like emodin, endocrocin, chrysophanol, neopodin, physcion, torachrysone,
aloesin, catechin, quercetin, resveratrol, and their derivatives were isolated from root and aerial parts of the plant. Both
isolated compounds and extracts from R. nepalensis are reported to have pharmacological activities such as antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, wound healing, and anti-plasmodial activities
Conclusions: Different parts of R. nepalensis have ethnomedicinal importance. R. nepalensis is one of the potential
sources of pharmacologically active extracts and isolated compounds. In future R. nepalensis can play a vital role for the
preparation of modern drugs.
Keywords: Medicinal plants, Rumex nepalensis, Pharmacological activities, Phytochemical
1 Background
Starting from human civilization, plants, animals, and minerals are being used by people for their rich nutritional and
medicinal sources. Especially, plants have been exploited
since the ancient history for their remedial purposes [1]. Several research reports showed about 270,000 plant species
have been discovered, while biodiversity gives approximately
around 500,000 species on earth [2]. It was reported that
about 50,000 plant species were used as traditional medicines
in different forms [3]. There is no synthetic substitute available for about 121 major plant-based drug molecules, which
are comprising 45 from tropical and 76 from subtropical
areas [4]. Several plants continue to be important sources of
* Correspondence: rkbachheti@gmail.com
2
Department of Industrial Chemistry, College of Applied Science, Addis
Ababa Science and Technology University, P.O.Box: 16417, Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia
Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
many chemical compounds used in pharmacological activities and attracted the attention of scientific communities.
Research activities on natural products have confirmed that
there are strong efforts for the isolation, identification, and
structure elucidation of secondary metabolites from plants
and their uses as active components in medicinal and drug
preparations [5, 6] and good source of nutraceutical products. The World Health Organization (WHO) report showed
more than 80% of the population on the globe is practicing
traditional medicines for primary health care due to the biological effects of present organic compounds [7].
In the world, there is traditional medicine knowledge
or practices that are related to human beings and livestock’s health. The natural product extraction method is
the oldest human practice, and usage of plant extracts
and isolated products as a diet supplement, medicine,
cosmetics, and agricultural applications counts back
many centuries [8, 9]. Wild plants are also reported as
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Gonfa et al. Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
(2021) 10:18
Page 2 of 11
potential phytoremediation of toxic elements like heavy
metals and monitoring excess metallic nutrients in agricultural soils and water [10–13]. Nowadays, the industrial applications of plant-based organic products have
obtained attention due to the broad-range of their chemical compositions with minimum side effects [6]. Natural
product extracts contain quite different chemical constituents that have distinct pharmacological and biological properties. These secondary metabolites comprise
carbon-based compounds such as sugars, fatty acids, terpenoids, sterols, flavonoids, tannic acids, saponins, anthraquinones, vitamin C, steroids, and phenolic acids,
and nitrogen-based compounds such as alkaloids, amino
acids, and protein-based compounds [14]. Some valuable
medicines obtained from plant-based drugs like taxol,
podophyllotoxin, digitoxigenin, gitogenin, digoxigenin,
vinblastine, vincristine, tubocurarine, morphine, codeine,
aspirin, atropine, pilocarpine, capsaicin, allicin, curcumin, artemisinin, and ephedrine are good representative
examples of pharmaceutical drugs [15]. The research
interest towards phytochemical activities has been steadily growing in developing and developed countries because of the rising credit of non-narcotic plant products,
lesser side effects, and affordability at low cost. Even,
sometimes medicinal plants are the only way of health
care accessible to the community that has no access to
modern medical services [16].
The recent phytochemical and pharmacological studies
revealed isolation and characterization of many novel
biologically active compounds for the synthesis of drug
candidates serving to manufacture advanced therapeutic
drugs [17–20]. Modern drugs that are produced from
natural products have a huge potential that still exists in
plants for the production of many more novel organic
compounds. Scientists throughout the world have identified thousands of phytochemicals that have inhibitory effects against all types of microorganisms [21]. Similarly,
they were reported as potential sources of phytochemical
compounds that are applied for the wide biological activities. Rumex species, the second largest family of polygonaceae, have been identified as a promising source of
bioactive and pharmacologically active compounds [22].
Almost all Rumex species are known for their ethnomedicinal values in the world [23]. Although the genus contains about 250 plant species, phytochemical and
pharmacological studies have been conducted on only
about 50 species as some reports on this plant species
have shown the use of leaves, aerial, and roots of the
plant either as treatment of several health disorders,
food, coloring agent, or phytoremediation [12, 24]. Various phytochemicals and many secondary metabolites
have been reported from different parts of this plant. Recently, there are significant and renewed interests in
these phytochemical compounds as potential drugs or as
sources for novel drugs [5, 25]. For various medication
purposes, Rumex plants have been processed for a long
period of time in different preparation forms like decoction, crushing, chewing, making juice/paste, crude extracts, fixed oils, and essential oils [26].
Most Rumex species are reported to treat constipation,
wound, bleeding, inflammation, ulcer, tumor, mild diabetes,
diarrhea, edema, jaundice, and hypertension and have diuretic and analgesic effects [26, 27]. They are also identified to
relieve diseases like oxidative stress and liver, skin, nervous,
cognitive, and gallbladder disorders [28–30]. Rumex nepalensis spreng. has wide-spectrum therapeutic activities and was
extensively used as traditional medicine for centuries [4]. A
vast literature survey revealed that diverse secondary metabolites like anthraquinones, flavonoids, naphthalenes, terpenes,
stilbenoids, tannins, phenols, and saponins had been reported
from solvent extracts of root parts of the R. nepalensis [31].
Solvent extracts or isolated compounds from the plant species are reported for their constipation, bleeding, tinea, pain,
and purgative activities [32–34]. Leaves and immature roots
of R. nepalensis are also reported to be used as a food supplement and dyeing agent [35, 36]. But, if it is consumed in
greater quantity, oxalic acid present in the plant needs big attention to avoid the risk factor of calcium oxalate (kidney
stone) formation [24]. Similarly, the bark and leaf of the plant
were reported for their cleansing purposes in bathing and
washing clothes in Ethiopia [37]. R. nepalensis is further reported for its powerful phytoremediation effects due to its
potential accumulation of metals from soils and water for
monitoring the level of macro and traces of metal elements
in the diet supplements [12, 38]. The plant’s flower part has
been found to be a good medicine to cure joint pains [39].
Looking over the current publication status, thus far no comprehensive review paper has been published on R. nepalensis.
This review paper describes botanical description, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological applications of R. nepalensis
2 Main text
2.1 Methods
In this review, some important data on the availability,
botanical description, and pharmacological activities of
R. nepalensis was collected from PubMed, Google
scholar, Royal Society of Chemistry, Scifinder, Scopus,
and “Science Direct” databases. This review article aims
to make a focused appraisal on the current research
trends on R. nepalensis regarding its ethnobotanical features, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical investigation,
and pharmacological properties.
2.2 Botanical description of R. nepalensis
2.2.1 Morphological features of R. nepalensis
Rumex genera are usually plants with erect and long taproots. R. nepalensis is a 50- to 100-cm-tall plant,
Gonfa et al. Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
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glabrous, branched, grooved, and greenish in color [40].
It is a perennial herb with large roots that grow deep
into the soil and erect stems. The leaves are edible, 5- to
10-cm long, arrow- or wide-shaped at its base, with
wide- and long-stalked lower, either oblong or ovate,
and have a petiole. Its basal leaves have 4- to 10-cmlong petiole [41]. The plant flowers are reddish, bisexual,
and spirals, forming long and nearly leafless racemes
[42] (Fig. 1).
2.2.4 Ethnomedicinal values of R. nepalensis
2.2.2 Taxonomy of the R. nepalensis
R. nepalensis is one of the 250 plant species in the
Rumex genera. Flowering and fruiting times are in between April and September based on the altitudinal situation of the regions where it grows [40, 43]. Its meiotic
chromosome ploidy count is reported as n = 50 (10×)
[43]. It is a perennial, ascending herb and, in various
communities, are commonly known by different vernacular names. In different communities, it is locally
known by different names as a few of them are listed
below in Table 1.
2.2.3 Geographical distribution of R. nepalensis
Rumex genera are commonly distributed in the northern
part of the globe especially in Africa, America, Asia, and
Europe countries, but the introduction of the plant species
is possible almost everywhere. R. nepalensis is tolerant to
wide ecological locations. It is commonly a weed plant
that grows at higher altitudes between 900 and 4000 m in
various weather conditions [41]. Different reports in literatures have shown that the plant grows widely in Africa,
India, Turkey, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Afghanistan,
Japan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Vietnam, and Bhutan [40, 47].
Page 3 of 11
Rumex species have a number of ethnomedicinal uses;
for instance, R. acetosa, R. acetosella, R. abyssinicus, R.
crispus, R. nepalensis, R. sanguineus, R. tuberosus, R.
thyrsiflorus, and R. vesicarius are some good examples
[24]. It has been reported that R. acetosa, R. acetosella,
R. nervosus, and R. nepalensis leaves are also used as part
of human diet [31, 48]. In some regions, R. nepalensis
leaves are employed as food supplement mainly in the
form of vegetable soups. R. nepalensis is a very important weed plant in the field of traditional medicines. Several experimental reports have confirmed that R.
nepalensis has numerous medicinal benefits. The plant
roots, leaves, and flower parts are often used for the remedial purposes of various health disorders through different modes of preparations. It was also reported that
some communities cook leaves and young shoots of R.
nepalensis as a vegetable diet which gives a lemon taste
to dishes [18]. Further, the plant has shown the coloring
nature in food [40]. Ethnomedicinal study on herbal
plants has specified active importance of R. nepalensis to
increase its capacity in drug industries [49]. Various
solvent extracts of the plant parts have been reported
showing promising biological activities [16, 50]. For instance, roots of R. nepalensis are reported to be traditionally used to treat pain, inflammation, bleeding,
tinea, tumor, and constipation [51] and have diuretic,
analgesic, anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. The leaves part of the plant are also used commonly to treat colic and headaches [52]. For example,
investigation of methanolic (95%) extract of the leaves
part in rat model was tested nontoxic until 4000 mg/Kg
dose (i.e., LD50 > 4000 mg/Kg) [53]. To the best of our
knowledge, only a few reports are documented in the
literature for the use of flower parts of R. nepalensis.
The summary of ethnomedicine uses and the mode of
preparation of this medicinal plant against human and
livestock diseases are summarized in Table 2.
2.3 Phytochemistry of R. nepalensis
2.3.1 Potential bioactive compounds from R. nepalensis
Fig. 1 Photograph of R. nepalensis
Phytochemical investigation of R. nepalensis has shown
a large number of organic complex and biologically active compounds. Most previous research activities that
were undertaken regarding phytochemical studies have
exhibited diversified secondary metabolites like flavonoids, phenols, anthraquinones, naphthalenes, saponins,
cardiac glycosides, stilbeniods, terpenes, sterols, tannins,
steroids, and reducing sugars [51, 67, 68]. Currently,
most of the literatures related to the solvent-based isolation and characterization of R. nepalensis have been
from the root parts of the plant species for the evidence
not given clearly. For the plant species, phytochemical
screening indicated the presence of alkaloid compounds
Gonfa et al. Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
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Table 1 Vernacular names of R. nepalensis
Table 3 shows the various terpenoid and phenolic compounds obtained from the root extracts of R. nepalensis. It
is clear in Table 3 that mainly oxygenated compounds
were identified from R. nepalensis plant root extracts
using different solvent systems such as ethanol, methanol,
n-butanol, or their mixtures. For instance, n-butanol extract of the root part of the plant has been reported to give
different classes of organic compounds like endocrocin
(6), nepalenside A (7), nepalenside B (8), rumexoside (9),
torachrysone (10), orientaloside (11), aloesin (15), catechin
(17), resveratrol (21), orcinol glucoside (22), and (3,5Dimethoxy-4-hydroxyphenol)-1-O-β-D-(6-O-galloyl) glucose (23). Of course, compounds (7) and (8) were reported
for the first time from this plant species. It was stated that
physcion (2), rumexoside A (12), and rumexoside B (13)
were obtained from the ethanol extract of the root part of
the plant by partitioning with pet ether, ethyl acetate, and
water, and compounds (12) and (13) were newly reported
from this plant. Isolated organic compounds like chrysophanol (1), emodin (3), chrysophanol-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), emodin-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), 3-Omethyl epicatechin (16), quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoronate
(18), and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (20) have been
also reported from the methanol/water (80/20) extract of
the root part of the plant using cold percolation for 24 h.
The same report again claimed that compounds (16),
(18), and (20) had been isolated for the first time from the
plant species. Aloesin (15), rumexoside (9), orientaloside
Local names (language)
Place/
country
References
Sheep sorrel, Nepal dock, Himalayan dock
(English)
Not stated
[40, 41]
Amlya, Amlora, Jangli palak, Malori (Hindi)
India
[18]
Aliphiri (Kashmir)
India
[40]
Pahari palang (Bengali)
India
[44]
Shalkhay (Paksitani)
Pakistan
[33, 45]
Kathura (Uttarakhandi)
India
[40]
Sukkankeri (Tamil)
India
[4]
Shulti (Afaan Oromo); Lut (Amharic)
Ethiopia
[37, 46, 47]
[42, 69] even though they are not confirmed by phytochemistry reports.
2.3.2 Phytochemical compounds isolated from R. nepalensis
Phytochemical screening activities of R. nepalensis have
shown the plant species contain a broad spectrum of secondary metabolites. However, only a few of them have
been reported by scientific communities. Studies on the
solvent extracts of roots of R. nepalensis have confirmed
[51, 67] that it contains phytochemical compounds like
anthraquinones (Fig. 2), naphthalenes (Fig. 3), flavonoids
(Fig. 4), terpenoids, and sterols (Fig. 5).
Page 4 of 11
Table 2 Ethnomedicinal importance of R. nepalensis and its mode of preparation for treatment of different ailments
Part
used
Ethnomedicinal importance
Place/
country
Mode of preparation
References
Root
Used as purgative, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and treatment for dislocated bones
Nepal
Decoction
[52]
Treat wounds, pimples, and ringworm
India
Crushing root and making paste
[54]
Used to cure skin disorders and eczema
India
Crushing root and making paste
[55]
Treat stomach ache, tooth ache, tonsillitis, ascariasis, rabies, and body
swelling
Ethiopia
Chewing the root
[56, 57]
Relieve stomach disorders
Ethiopia
Chewing the root
[58]
Leaf
Flora
Used as purgative
Pakistan
Chewing the root
[33]
Treat headaches, abdominal colic, skin diseases, wound, and allergies
Nepal/
India
Decoction and making juice of the
leaf powder
[52, 59]
Treat ulcers, kwashiorkor, worms, HIV/AIDS, opportunistic diseases, and
show HIV-1 activity indices
Rwanda
80% Ethanolic leaf extract
[60, 61]
Used as ethnoveterinary to treat stomachache
Ethiopia
Crushing
[58]
Used as antiseptic against wounds and skin disorders
Pakistan
Decoction
[62, 63]
Relieve irritation of sting nettle, stomachache, and snakebite
India
Crushing and making juice
[64, 65]
Treat hypertension, amoebic dysentery, and hemorrhoids
Ethiopia
Decoction
[66]
Treat swelling and joint pain
India
Crushing
[43]
Used to treat cuts
Pakistan
Decoction
[63]
Cure joint pain and body ache
India
Powder/paste application to the
infected body
[39]
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(2021) 10:18
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Fig. 2 Isolated anthraquinone compounds from the root extracts of R. nepalensis
(11), and torachysone (10) have shown an antiinflammatory activity. Similarly, chrysophanol (1), emodin
(3), and some of their derivatives (4) and (8) which were
reported from Soxhlet methanol root extracts have anticancer, antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Neopodin (14) and chrysophanol (1) which were
obtained from methanol extract of the root part of the R.
nepalensis have shown anti-inflammatory activity. Neopodin (14) was also identified for ethyl acetate extract of the
root of the plant and reported to show strong antiinflammatory activities. According to some other reports,
in the methanol extract of the root part of R. nepalensis,
secondary metabolites like torachrysone (10), epicatechin
gallate (19), orcinol glucoside (22), and aloesin (15) were
identified for their antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor activities. Nepalenside A (7) and nepalenside B (8), the two newly isolated
compounds from ethanol fractions of the root part of the
plant species, were also reported for their antidiabetic and
cytotoxic properties. Alcoholic solvent root extractions on
R. nepalensis showed the isolation of oxygenated secondary metabolites which have wide phytotherapeutical activities (Table 3).
2.4 Pharmacological activities of R. nepalensis
Rumex species have shown potent pharmacological activities. Root and aerial parts of Rumex species are used as
medicines throughout the world for a variety of human
diseases such as purgative, tinea, antioxidant, cytotoxic,
antipyretic, antidiarrhea, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal,
and anti-inflammatory activities [15, 29]. Leaves, roots,
and few flora parts of R. nepalensis have been reported
mostly to be used to treat skin disorders and syphilitic ulcers also. Similarly, there are many studies on this medicinal plant showing its properties as purgative, analgesic,
antipyretic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial,
and skeletal muscle relaxant activities [53, 71]. In this regard, R. nepalensis has been reported as potential pharmacologically active plant against various ailments. Some of
these activities are discussed as follow.
Fig. 3 Isolated naphthalene compounds from the root extracts of R. nepalensis
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Fig. 4 Isolated flavonoids from the root extracts of R. nepalensis
2.4.1 Anti-inflammatory activity
Different studies have indicated that solvent extracts and
isolated pure compounds of R. nepalensis are rich in antiinflammatory activities. There were reports on the investigation of chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts of the root
of the plant which have shown significant antiinflammatory activity [46, 52]. For the treatment of acute
inflammation of the mouse model, extracts of ethyl acetate and chloroform revealed a reduction in ear edema
[40]. Another report for ethanolic extract of the root part
of R. nepalensis demonstrated an anti-inflammatory effect
that has a strong comparison with the standard diclofenac
[4]. Some isolated compounds like neopodin, chrysophanol, and their derivatives from ethyl acetate fractions of
the root part of the plant species have shown an improved
anti-inflammatory activity than the control ibuprofen [70].
Similarly, ethyl acetate extract of the root part of R. nepalensis was reported to show moderate to strong inhibitory
effects against inflammatory effects on COX-1 comparing
with indomethacin and COX-2 compared with celecoxib
as positive controls. The presence of anthraquinones and
naphthalenes in the root extract of the plant species is responsible for the inhibition effects observed [23]. From
the root part of the plant, secondary metabolites such as
chrysophanol, physcion, endocrocin, chrysophanol-8-O-βD-glucopyranoside, nepodin, and nepodin-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside were specifically reported for their antiinflammatory activities [68].
2.4.2 Antioxidant activity
The phytochemical screening of solvent extracts of roots
and leaves of R. nepalensis has exhibited that the plant
contains potential bioactive compounds with significant
antioxidant activities [24, 53]. For instance, polyphenols
and flavonoids isolated from the plant species have
Fig. 5 Isolated terpenoid and phenol compounds from the root extracts of R. nepalensis
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Table 3 Major compounds isolated from root extracts of R. nepalensis and their pharmacological activities
Isolated compounds
Method used
Pharmacological activities
References
Rumexoside (9) Torachysone (10)
Orientaloside (11)
Aloesin (15)
Solvent extraction
(n-butanol)
Anti-inflammatory
[4, 24, 40]
Chrysophanol (1) and its derivatives (4)
Emodin (3) and its derivatives (8)
Soxhlet extraction
(methanol)
Antifungal
Antioxidant
Anticancer
Anti-inflammatory
[46, 51, 67]
Neopodin (14)
Solvent extraction
(ethyl acetate)
Anti-inflammatory
[40]
Nepalenside A (7)
Nepalenside B (8)
Solvent extraction
(ethanol)
Antidiabetic
Cytotoxic
[40, 51]
Torachrysone (10)
Aloesin (15)
Epicatechin gallate (19)
Orcinol glucoside (22)
Solvent extraction
(methanol)
Antimicrobial
Antioxidant
Antitumor
Antidiabetics
Anti-inflammatory
[4, 24, 67]
Chrysophanol (1)
Neopodin (14)
Solvent extraction
(methanol)
Anti-inflammatory
[70]
revealed important health benefits. These phytochemicals are reported as antioxidant compounds because of
their single oxygen quenchers and reducing properties
[72]. The leaves part of the plant are rich sources of natural antioxidants [4]. When comparing the ethanolic
root extract of R. nepalensis with the free radical scavenging nature of the standard ascorbic acid, the extract has
shown better scavenging activity [46, 73]. Antioxidant
activity of extract of the root part of R. nepalensis by solvents such as chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol,
methanol, and water have been also investigated and
showed the marked medicinal effects. For the root part
of R. nepalensis, for example, antioxidant effects of
chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts had been studied
using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) and 2,2’azino-bis(3-ethylbenzythiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS)
free radical assays, where the level of the phenolic compound in ethyl acetate was higher than in the chloroform extract and showed promising activities [24]. In
vitro test showed the essential oil from roots of R. nepalensis has a comparable antioxidant activity to standards
like ascorbic acid and vitamin E [74].
2.4.3 Antimicrobial activity
Organic solvents such as benzene, pet ether, chloroform,
acetone, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of the root
part of R. nepalensis have been reported showing antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gramnegative microorganisms like Staphylococcus aureus,
Streptococcus mutans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. Root extracts of the
plant by ethyl acetate and benzene showed precise antifungal activity against C. albicans [29]. Chrysophanic
acid, one of the chemical constituents obtained from R.
nepalensis, has been also reported to have antifungal activity [31]. The methanol extract of the root part of R.
nepalensis has shown inhibitory activity against RNA
polymerase of hepatitis C virus. Its extract has high tannin percentage which also inhibited about 80% HCVRdRp at a concentration of 50 μg/mL [40]. The same report also showed the leaves extract of the plant has antiHIV opportunistic diseases. For example, out of 38
tested 80% ethanolic leaves extract of the plants from 21
different families, only two plant extracts were reported
to show interesting activity index towards HIV-1 in vitro
virus test. One of the two plants with good anti-HIV-1
activity indices was R. nepalensis [60, 61]. Similarly,
methanolic extracts of the plant showed to be an alternative way of medicines to prevent bacterial and
fungal infections [53]. The methanol root extract of
the plant was investigated on several clinical isolates
and standard strains by well diffusion assay which
showed moderate inhibitory effect against Escherichia
coli (12 mm inhibition zone) for antibacterial activity
and Aspergillus niger (11 mm inhibition zone) for antifungal activity due to the presence of anthraquinone,
steroid, saponin, reducing sugar, and tannin compounds [75]. It was again reported that R. nepalensis
methanolic root extract (29 mm inhibition zone) at
1000 μg/mL had shown similar inhibitory activity
against Staphylococcus aureus when compared with
the positive control Ciprofloxacin (29 mm inhabitation zone ) [76]. The leaves and root extracts of R.
nepalensis were also reported to show significant antimicrobial and antifungal properties [77]. For the leaf
aqueous extract of R. nepalensis, biocompatible gold
nanoparticles were synthesized effectively which
showed significant antibacterial activity [78].
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2.4.4 Wound healing activity
3 Conclusions
In conclusion, this review has outlined the current research trends of R. nepalensis regarding its ethnomedicinal
importance, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties. R. nepalensis is commonly applied as traditional medicinal plants for the treatment of human diseases.
Additionally, its uses are as a food supplement, coloring
agent, and potential accumulation of heavy metals (i.e.,
phytoremediation). Various phytochemical screening on
the plant extracts has revealed that it has a wide spectrum
of bioactive compounds. The extracts and isolated compounds from R. nepalensis showed that they have wide
biological applications. The potential bioactive compounds isolated from the plant using different solvent systems are classified as anthraquinones, naphthalenes,
stilbenoids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, and their derivatives. Most organic compounds were isolated and reported from the root parts of R. nepalesis using common
organic solvents like ethyl acetate, pet ether, n-butanol,
ethanol, methanol, and methanol/water (80/20) systems.
Natural products like chrysophanol, physcion, emodin,
endocrocin, torachrysone, orientaloside, aloesin, catechin,
and their glycoside derivatives have been reported from
the solvent extracts of root, leaves, and aerial parts of the
plant species. Compounds like 3-O-methylepicatechin,
quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoronate, epicatechin-3-O-gallate,
orcinol glucoside, and (3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxyphenol)1-O-β-D-(6-O-galloyl) glucose were also the major bioactive compounds reported from the root extracts of the
plant species. Pharmacological studies revealed that
solvent extracts and secondary metabolites have antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-plasmodial,
and wound healing activities. But, regardless of its potential sources of phytochemical compounds and potential
pharmacological activities, the total number of isolated
compounds from solvent extracts of plant parts especially
from the leaves is too small. Authors of this review article
are hoping that the review work has concisely forwarded
some important information to scientific communities
about the current research trends regarding the phytochemistry and pharmacological applications of R. nepalensis plant species. In the future, major research focus
should be given toward the phytochemical investigations
of the plant parts to isolate more novel bioactive compounds so that they can be used for modern drug
synthesis.
The leaves extract of R. nepalensis was mixed with Vaseline or butter and applied to the infected body. Antibacterial and antipyretic activities of the plant products
further justify R. nepalensis application as a traditional
medicinal plant to cure wounds [40, 79]. Secondary metabolites from the plant species were also reported showing wound healing properties [18]. The powder or juice
of leaves has revealed the wound healing activity of the
plant species [59]. Furthermore, reports have shown
methanol extracts of the root part of R. nepalensis were
revealed promising anti-ulcer activity on pyloric ligation,
cold restraint stress, and acetic acid-induced ulcer
models which strengthen the claim on the plant as traditional medicinal remedy [80].
2.4.5 Anti-plasmodial activity
R. nepalensis has been practiced by traditional healers
for its anti-plasmodial activity. However, there are very
few reports showing anti-plasmodial properties of the
plant species. For example, the ethanol fraction of the
root of R. nepalensis showed improved plasmodium percent suppression (70.08%) compared with the water extraction (54.31%), chloroform extraction (19.61%), and
methanol extraction (10.27 %) suppression [48].
2.4.6 Miscellaneous activities
The crushed root paste of R. nepalensis was reported to
cure eczema [55]. The plant species has been reported
for its application to treat swollen gums, pain, and headaches [81–83]. For instance, methanol extract of the root
part of plant species was tested for its purgative activity,
and the application of the extract to albino rat at 100 to
400 mg/Kg as the oral dose showed good purgative activity [44]. It is also used as ethnoveterinary medicine as
the crushed leaves have shown positive effects to alleviate stomach disorders in livestock [58]. The juice of the
leaves of the plant was used in the ailment of abdominal
colic, skin diseases with antiallergic properties [59]. In
Ethiopia, the extract of R. nepalensis is used for the
treatment of diarrhea [84]. For example, chewing fresh
root of the plant has shown marked effect in human and
livestock for treatment of diarrhea [47]. Meresa et al.
[66] reported the impact of boiled extract of fresh leaves
to treat diseases like hypertension, amoebic dysentery,
and hemorrhoids. When compared with Ruta chalepensis, Clausena anisata, Nocotiana tabacum, and Zingiber
officinale, R. nepalensis was reported as the most preferred medicinal plant to cure the stomach ache [85].
Chrysophanol and physcion were reported as potential
human pancreatic lipase inhibitory phytochemicals. Pancreatic lipase is an enzyme responsible for the reduction
of abnormal fat accumulation in the body which is the
cause of the risk of overweight and obesity [86].
Page 8 of 11
Abbreviations
BW: Body weight; HCV-RdRb: Hepatitis C virus basolateral cell membrane
resistances; HIV-1: Human immunodeficiency virus–1; LD50: Lethal dose, 50%;
RNA: Ribonucleic acid
Acknowledgements
Not applicable.
Gonfa et al. Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
(2021) 10:18
Authors’ contributions
YH and FB have drafted the review. MG and AB prepared different tables
and figures required for the manuscript. RKB provided guidance during
development of idea and wrote and revised the manuscript. The authors
read and approved the final manuscript
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Funding
None.
Availability of data and materials
Not applicable.
Declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Author details
1
Chemistry Department, Ambo University, P.O.Box: 19, Ambo, Ethiopia.
2
Department of Industrial Chemistry, College of Applied Science, Addis
Ababa Science and Technology University, P.O.Box: 16417, Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia. 3Chemistry Department, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
4
Department of Environment Science, Graphic Era University, Dehradun,
India.
Received: 20 October 2020 Accepted: 2 March 2021
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