Costus igneus N. E. Br. A molecular assessment of its pharmacological characteristics and bioactive compounds

P Ragul; Rajagopal Chitra; Lourdusamy D Kesiar; A  Thanga Hemavathy; S  Vellaikumar; B Rajagopal

doi:10.14719/pst.5056

Authors

Ragul P Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic crops, Horticultural College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8153-8141
Chitra Rajagopal Department of Floriculture and Landscape, Horticultural college & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India
Kesiar Lourdusamy D Horticultural College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9405-0580
Thanga Hemavathy A Department of Pulses & Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics, Agricultural College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7312-3779
Vellaikumar S Department of Centre Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Agricultural College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9277-457X
Rajagopal B Department of Centre Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Agricultural College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7828-9508

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.5056

Keywords:

antidiabetic, Costus igneus , insulin, markers, phytochemicals

Abstract

Costus igneus , commonly referred to as the “Step ladder” or “Insulin plant,” is a perennial herb native to the Western Ghats of India. Renowed for its hypoglycemic properties, the species is considered threatened, highlighting the need for urgent conservation efforts. Costus igneus is a rich source of valuable industrially bioactive compounds, including stigmasterol, lupeol, quercetin, diosgenin, and bis (2'-ethylhexyl)-1, 2-benzene-dicarboxylate. It is well-recognized for its ethonomedicinal applications in India, Africa, China. This plant exhibits a wide geographic distribution and is characterized by diverse descriptions, taxonomic classifications, and genetic variability. Extensive molecular level research has employed advanced genetic engineering techniques, focusing on identifying relevant markers, conducting protein analyses, and performing isozyme studies. Traditionally, C. igneus has been utilized for its stimulant, carminative, diuretic, digestive, hepatoprotective, and antidiabetic properties. This review highlights the urgent need for researchers and stakeholders to leverage advanced biotechnological methods, such as genetic diversity assessment, the implementation of conservation strategies, ecosystem monitoring, and species restoration programs for C. igneus. The comprehensive scope of the study encompasses various facets of C. igneus , including agro cultivation, medicinal chemistry, health applications, molecular and genetic approaches, and biotechnological advancements. In-depth research on this species has the potential to unveil its therapeutic potential, paving the way for the development of innovative plant-based treatments.

Downloads

References

Pawar V, Pawar P. Costus speciosus an important medicinal plant. Int J Sci Res. 2014;3(7):28–33. https//doi.org/10.21275/2014885.

Sabu M. Zingiberaceae and Costaceae of South India. Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy; 2006. https//iaat.org.in/books_zingiberaceae-and-costaceae-of-south-india.html

Christenhusz MJ, Byng JW. The number of known plants species in the world and its annual increase. Phytotaxa. 2016;261(3):201–17. https //doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1

Mathew F, Varghese B. A review on medicinal exploration of Costus igneus the insulin plant. Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res. 2019;54(2):51–57.

Santosh G. Molecular characterization of spotted spiral ginger (Costus pictus)-An insulin plant. University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK; 2015. https //krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/items/415e5039-7d63-4f5e-9cdf-c7cd723b3850

Joshi BN, Munot H, Hardikar M, Kulkarni AA. Orally active hypoglycemic protein from Costus igneus NE Br. an in vitro and in vivo study. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 2013;436(2):278–82. https//doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.05.093

Hegde PK, Rao HA, Rao PN. A review on Insulin plant (Costus igneus Nak). Pharmacognosy Reviews. 2014;8(15):67. https //doi.org/10.52711/0974-360X.2022.00410

Grewal A, Rani P. A new record of chromosome count for Costus pictus D. Don. Cytologia. 2022;87(4) 391–95. https //doi.org/10.1508/cytologia.87.391

Pazhanichamy K, Pavithra S, Rubini S, Lavanya B, Ramya I, Eevera T. Morphological, anatomical and proximate analysis of leaf, root, rhizome of Costus igneus. Journal of Pharmacy Research. 2010;3(4):747–52. https//doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12739414

Tyagi B. The mechanism of 2n pollen formation in diploids of Costus speciosus (Koenig) JE Smith and role of sexual polyploidization in the origin of intraspecific chromosomal races. Cytologia. 1988;53(4):763–70. https//doi.org/10.1508/cytologia.53.763

Maas PJ. Renealmia (Zingiberaceae-Zingiberoideae) Costoideae (Additions)(Zingiberaceae). Flora Neotropica. 1977;18:1–218. https//www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=528669

Irwin DE. Phylogeographic breaks without geographic barriers to gene flow. Evolution. 2002;56(12):2383-94. https //doi.org/10.1111/j.0014-3820.2002.tb00164.x

Grover A, Sharma P. Development and use of molecular markers past and present. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology. 2016;36(2):290–302. https//doi.org/10.3109/07388551.2014.959891

Govindaraj M, Vetriventhan M, Srinivasan M. Importance of genetic diversity assessment in crop plants and its recent advances an overview of its analytical perspectives. Genetics Research International. 2015. https//doi.org/10.1155/2015/431487

Kuttappety M, Surendran K, Pillai PP. Cross section of genetic diversity in mainland and insular populations of Costus speciosus (Koen ex. Retz.) Sm. using SPAR markers reveal patterns linked to allopolyploidy and biogeography. Plant Science Today. 2023;10(2):8–19. https //doi.org/10.14719/pst.1805

Yip PY, Chau CF, Mak CY, Kwan HS. DNA methods for identification of Chinese medicinal materials. Chinese Medicine. 2007;2:1–19. https //doi.org/10.1186/1749-8546-7-18

Tiwari G, Singh R, Singh N, Choudhury DR, Paliwal R, Kumar A, et al. Study of arbitrarily amplified (RAPD and ISSR) and gene targeted (SCoT and CBDP) markers for genetic diversity and population structure in Kalmegh [Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees]. Industrial Crops and Products. 2016;86:1–11. https //doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2016.02.025

Kelly M. Adaptation to climate change through genetic accommodation and assimilation of plastic phenotypes. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. 2019;374(1768):20180176. https //doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2018.0176

Dasgupta N, Nandy P, Sengupta C, Das S. RAPD and ISSR marker mediated genetic polymorphism of two mangroves Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Heritiera fomes from Indian Sundarbans in relation to their sustainability. Phys Mol Bio Plants. 2015;21:375–84. https //doi.org/10.1007/s12298-015-0300-7

Pagnotta M, Mondini L, Noorani A. Plant genetic resources conservation and plant breeding. Plant Breeding Nova Publishers, New York; 2009. https //doi.org/10.7324/JABB.2020.80514

Manjula K, Rajendran K, Eevera T, Kumaran S. Quantitative estimation of lupeol and stigmasterol in Costus igneus by high-performance thin-layer chromatography. J Liq Chrom Relat Technol. 2013;36(2):197–212. https //doi.org/10.1080/10826076.2012.684648

Manjula K, Rajendran K, Eevera T, Kumaran S. Effect of Costus igneus stem extract on calcium oxalate urolithiasis in albino rats. Urological Research. 2012;40:499–510. https //doi.org/10.3109/00365599.2012.669792

Bhat V, Asuti N, Kamat A, Sikarwar M, Patil M. Antidiabetic activity of insulin plant (Costus igneus) leaf extract in diabetic rats. Journal of Pharmacy Research. 2010;3(3):608–11. https //doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12739414

Sulakshana G, Rani AS. HPLC analysis of diosgenin in three species of Costus. Int J Pharm Sci Res. 2014;5(11):747–49. https //doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11517707

Pazhanichamy K, Bhuvaneswari K, Kunthavai B, Eevera T, Rajendran K. Isolation, characterization and quantification of diosgenin from Costus igneus. JPC-Journal of Planar Chromatography-Modern TLC. 2012;25(6):566–70. https//doi.org/10.1007/s12298-013-0205-3

Kalailingam P, Kaliaperumal R, Shanmugam K, Tamilmani E, editors. In: Efficacy of methanolic extract of Costus igneus rhizome on hypoglycemic, hypolipidimic activity in streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats and HPTLC analysis of its active constituents. International Conference on Bioscience Biochemistry and Bioinformatics. 2011;(5):1866–73. http //doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.7

Urooj A. Nutrient profile and antioxidant components of Costus speciosus Sm. and Costus igneus Nak. 2010. https //www.academia.edu/82235371

Majumdar M, Parihar PS. Antibacterial, antioxidant and antiglycation potential of Costus pictus from Southern region, India. Asian J Plant Sci Res. 2011. https //bit.ly/3UDKCuK

Ponnanikajamideen M, Rajeshkumar S, Annadurai G. In vivo antidiabetic and in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of aqueous leaves extract of Chamaecostus cuspidatus. Res J Pharm Technol. 2016;9(8):1204–10. https //doi.org/10.5958/0974-360X.2016.00230.4

Binny K, Kumar SG, Dennis T. Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties of the rhizome of Costus speciosus (koen.) sm. Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacy. 2010;1(3):177. https //www.jbclinpharm.org/

Dhanasekaran S, Akshaya M, Preethi S. In vitro anti-proliferative potential of leaves of Costus igneus. Int Eng Technol. 2014;4(4):277–83. https //doi.org/10.5958/0974-360X.2020.00237.1

Ekanem I, Antia B, Essien E, Thomas P. In vitro antioxidant activity and hypoglycemic efficacy of the leaf, stem and rhizome extracts of Costus igneus nak (costaceae) in alloxan induced diabetic rats. World. 2023;15(1):98–103. https //doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.125536

Arun N, Udhaya A, Rajagurua P. In vitro root induction and studies on antibacterial activity of root extract of Costus igneus on clinically important human pathogens. J Micro Biotech Res. 2011;1(4):67–76. https//www.academia.edu/1182420

Sethumathi P, Nandhakumar J, Sengottuvelu S, Duraisamy R, Karthikeyan D, Ravikumar V, et al. Anti diabetic and antioxidant activity of methanolic leaf extracts of Costus pictus D. Don in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Pharmacology Online. 2009;1:1200–13. http//pharmacologyonline.silae.it

Shivaprakash G, Thottacherry ED, Rai S, Nandini M, Kumarachandra R. Evaluation of antioxidant potential of Costus igneus in ethanol induced peroxidative damage in albino rats. J Appl Pharma Sci. 2014;4(8):052–55. https //doi.org/10.7324/JAPS.2014.40810.

Vinotha V, Iswarya A, Thaya R, Govindarajan M, Alharbi NS, Kadaikunnan S, et al. Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using insulin-rich leaf extract anti-diabetic, antibiofilm and anti-oxidant properties. J Photochem Photobio Bio. 2019;197:111541. https //doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289125

Hardikar MR, Varma ME, Kulkarni AA, Kulkarni PP, Joshi BN. Elucidation of hypoglycemic action and toxicity studies of insulin-like protein from Costus igneus. Phytochemistry. 2016;124:99–107. https //doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2016.01.017

Radha A, Balasubramanian K, Shruti BS, Nandhini SR. Studies on optimization of medium in induction and regeneration of callus and shoot from Costus igneus and its phytochemical profile. J Acad Ind Res (JAIR). 2015;4(2):75. https //doi.org/ 10.5121/jair.2015.4207

Liao Y, Li Z, Zhou Q, Sheng M, Qu Q, Shi Y, et al. Saponin surfactants used in drug delivery systems- A new application for natural medicine components. Int J Pharma. 2021;603:120709. https//doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120709

Cheok CY, Salman HAK, Sulaiman R. Extraction and quantification of saponins: A review. Food Research International. 2014;59:16–40. https //doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2014.01.057

Kay KM, Reeves PA, Olmstead RG, Schemske DW. Rapid speciation and the evolution of hummingbird pollination in neotropical Costus subgenus Costus (Costaceae) evidence from nrDNA ITS and ETS sequences. American Journal of Botany. 2005;92(11):1899–910. https //doi.org/10.3732/ajb.92.11.1899

Mohammadi SA, Prasanna B. Analysis of genetic diversity in crop plants—salient statistical tools and considerations. Crop Science. 2003;43(4):1235–48. https //doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2003.1235

Schlötterer C. The evolution of molecular markers—just a matter of fashion?. Nature Reviews Genetics. 2004;5(1):63–69. https //doi.org/10.1007/s004120000089

Spooner DM. Molecular markers for gene bank management. Bioversity International; 2005. https //cgspace.cgiar.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/e078f4e2-5b1f-4055-ae78-3dd98f94ed31/content

Mandal AB, Thomas VA. RAPD pattern of Costus speciosus Koen ex. Retz., an important medicinal plant from the Andaman and Nicobar. Curr Sci. 2007;93(3):369–73. https//doi.org/10.3390/molecules17055050

Marotti I, Bonetti A, Minelli M, Catizone P, Dinelli G. Characterization of some Italian common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces by RAPD, semi-random and ISSR molecular markers. Genet Resour Crop Evol. 2007;54:175–88. https //dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10722-005-3133-4

Hung DT, Jamison TF, Schreiber SL. Understanding and controlling the cell cycle with natural products. Chem and Bio. 1996;3(8):623–39. https //doi.org/10.1016/s1074-5521(96)90129-5

Nafisah L, Halimah E, Iskandar Y. Botanical and chemical overview, traditional uses and potential of anticancer activity from several Costus plants: A narrative review. Bioscientia Medi J Biomed Trans Res. 2022;6(9):2127–38. https //doi.org/10.37275/bsm.v6i9.561

Kumudhavalli M, Jaykar B. Evaluation of antidiabetic activity of Costus igneus (L) leaves on STZ induced diabetic rats. 2012. http//www.pelagiaresearchlibrary.com/der-pharmacia-sinica/vol3-iss1/DPS-2012-3-1-1-4.pdf

Krishnan K, Vijayalakshmi N, Helen A. Beneficial effects of Costus igneus and dose response studies in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Int J Curr Pharm Res. 2011;3(3):42-6. https //doi.org/10.22159/ijcpr.2011.v3i3.42

Shetty A, Parampalli S, Bhandarkar R, Kotian S. Effect of the insulin plant (Costus igneus) leaves on blood glucose levels in diabetic patients: A cross-sectional study. J Clini Diag Res. 2010;4(3):2617–21. https//doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2010/.766

Krishnan K, Mathew LE, Vijayalakshmi N, Helen A. Anti-inflammatory potential of ?-amyrin, a triterpenoid isolated from Costus igneus. Inflammopharmacology. 2014;22:373–85. https //doi.org/10.1007/s10787-014-0220-y