Pharmacological and Biological Activities of Mirabilis Jalapa L
Pharmacological and Biological Activities of Mirabilis Jalapa L
Pharmacological and Biological Activities of Mirabilis Jalapa L
com
ISSN: 2277-3312 Journal DOI:10.7439/ijpr
Corresponding author*
Rozina Rozina
Quaid I Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan
E-mail: Rozinaroshni@yahoo.com
Abstract
Plants have been used for health care and medical purposes for several thousands of years. The number of
higher plant species on earth is about 250000. It is estimated that 35000 to 70000 species have, at one time or another,
been used in some cultures for medicinal purposes. One of these is Mirabilis jalapa L. which is traditionally used as
Purgative and emetic, for treatment of many gastrointestinal disorders, including dysentery, diarrhea, muscle pain and
abdominal colic. Besides this it also exhibits certain useful activities like Antiviral activity, Antimicrobial activity,
Antimalarial activity, Anthelmintic activity, Antioxidant activity, Aytotoxic activity Anti-tubercular drugs induced
hepatotoxicity, Antinociceptive activity, Antifungal activity, Anti-corrosion activity, Antispasmodic activity, Anti-
inflammatory activity and many others. Pharmacologically active compounds include active alcoholic extract, ether
compound-3,3’-Methylenebis (4- hydroxycoumarin) N-D-alpha-Phenylyglycinelaminaribiitol-3-(4-(dimethylamino)
cinnamoyl) 4hydroxycoumarin. The purpose of my review is to find out the areas of scope and to give the detail of the
work done on Mirabilis Jalapa L. for future research work.
Keywords: Mirabilis jalapa L., Phytochemical constituents, Pharmacology.
1. Introduction
Traditional herbal medicines have been improved the general health of most people. For thousands of years,
medicinal plants have played a vital role throughout the world in treating, preventing and controlling a variety of diseases.
The primary benefits of using plant-derived medicines are that they are relatively safer than synthetic alternatives.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about 65–80% of the world’s population in developing countries
depending essentially on plants for their primary health care due to poverty and lack of access to modern medicine.
Mirabilis Jalapa is one of these medicinal plants used for centuries for the treatment of various ailments; its leaves may be
eaten cooked as well, but only as an emergency food. An edible crimson dye is obtained from the flowers to color jellies
and cakes. It is popularly known as four o clock. It belongs to the family Nyctaginaceae. It is a large, herbaceous plant
grown in gardens throughout India and Pakistan.
1.1 Synonyms
The synonyms of Mirabilis jalapa are; M. dechotoma Linn. (In Brazil), M. dechotoma Linn and M. longiflora
Linn. (In tropical America), M. lindheimeri Linn. and M. Odorata Linn.
1.2 Taxonomic classification: Kingdom: Plantae; Sub kingdom: Tracheobionta; Division: Angiosperms; Class:
Dicotyledons; Subclass: Caryophylidae; Order: Caryophyllales; Family: Nyctaginaceae; Genus: Mirabilis; Species
Mirabilis Jalapa.
1.3 Morphology
Mirabilis jalapa usually grows 0.6-0.9m tall and just as wide. Leaves are pointed; flowers usually open from late
afternoon onwards, hence the first of its common names. Flowers in group of three, flowers with five green bracelets;
surround the perianth; usually yellow; crimson, white or variegated and opening in the evening. Perianth lobes are five,
gamophyllus, stamens five with unequal filaments. Carpel one, unilocular, superior ovary with a single ovule, a
nectariferous disc surrounds the ovary. Fruit achene surrounded by a leathery, ribbed, persistent perianth. The self-
compatible, the perfect flowers, each have 5-6 stamens and a single-ovule ovary. Fruits are coriaceous obovoid and roots
are prominent tuberous. The single-seeded fruits are spherical, wrinkled and black upon maturity, having started out
greenish-yellow (Fig. 01).
1.4 Flower’s colors
An outstanding aspect of Mirabilis jalapa is that it has flowers with various colors and can be found
simultaneously on the same plant. Moreover an individual flower can be splashed with different colors. Flower patterns are
referred to as flakes (stripes of varying length), sectors (whole sections of flower) and spots. A single flower can be pink or
white, plain yellow, or have a combination of sectors, spots and flakes. Besides, it also has different combinations of
IJPR Volume 6 Issue 05 (2016) 160
Rozina Rozina Review Article
flowers and patterns can occur on different flowers of the same plant. Another fascinating point of this plant is a color-
changing phenomenon. For instance, in the yellow variety, as the plant matures, it can display flowers that gradually
change to a dark pink color. Similarly white flowers can change to light violet.
1.5 Habitat
This weedy species can be found scattered throughout the world disturbed sites include, waste ground, old home
sites. It is also cultivated in Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields. It is the most commonly
grown ornamental species of Mirabilis, and is available in a range of colors. Mirabilis jalapa is a herbaceous plant with
numerous branches, perennial plant that exist in southern and warm western regions, and an annual in cooler northern
regions, of its native tropical South America. It has been naturalized in many parts of the world, including Israel [1].
1.6 Pollen Morphology
The shape of the pollen grains of Mirabilis Jalapa is Spheroidal, oblate spheroidal, with a diameter ranging from
125-140 μm and thickness of 10-15 μm. Exine ornamentation is Spinulose; spinules 0.5-1 μm high, randomly distributed,
Aperture type Pantoporare with numbers ranging from 18-20 the diameter of aperture varies between 6.3-10 mm while the
membrane of the aperture is Margin ornate, membrane provided with spinulose and granules (Fig 02). Pollen dimorphism
is frequently found in this species (white-pink, mixed and mixed radiated); occasional giant, dimorphic anomalous,
deformed and joint grains have been observed. All these anomalous pollen grains except giant pollen grains are sterile [2].
Flowers Leaves
Roots Seeds
Figure 1: Morphology of different parts of Mirabilis jalapa.
2. Active constituents
Chemical analysis of different parts of M. jalapa manipulated the presences of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols,
steroids, triterpenes, glycosides, tannins, saponins and lignins. The detailed study of these compound compounds from
TLC visualized alanine, arabinose, campesterol (fig. 3), daucosterol and dopamine, d-glucan, hexacon-1-ol, indicaxanthin,
isobetanin, 6-methoxyboeravinone, C-methylabronisoflavones, miraxanthins, n-dotriacontane, n nonacosane, n-
pentacosane, n-triacontane. Flowers mostly contain anthocyanins and flavonoids. A number of active compounds were
extracted from different organs of M. jalapa, including anti-fungal phenolic compounds, ribosome-in activating protein
(RIP) which is associated with anti-viral activity, anti-microbial peptides and rotenoids that are potent inhibitors of HIV-1
reverse transcriptase [3]. The alcoholic extract of M. jalapa is a possible source of active compounds against pathogenic
enteric organisms [4]. About twenty different chemical constituents have been identified from the methanolic extract of the
whole plant of Mirabilis Jalapa by Gas chromatogram Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The presence of various
bioactive compounds justifies the use of whole plant for various ailments by traditional practitioners. GC-MS analysis of
Mirabilis jalapa revealed the existence of the ether compound-3, 3’-Methylenebis(4- hydroxycoumarin)(fig. 3)(17.07), N-
D-alpha-Phenylyglycine (38.76), laminaribiitol (7.753), 3-(4-(dimethylamino) cinnamoyl) 4-hydroxycoumarin (16.89),
unknown (5.284), unknown (10.26) [5]. Four new rotenoids named mirabijalone A–D1 (1–4) (fig. 3), boeravinone C (6)
and F (7), together with 9-O-methyl-4-hydroxyboeravinone B (5) (fig. 3) and 1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydro-1-methylisoquinoline-7,
8-diol (8), were extracted from the roots of Mirabilis jalapa. Their structures were determined on the basis of their HR-EI-
MS, UV, IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR (DEPT), and 2D NMR (HMQC, HMBC, NOESY) data [6].
6. Conclusion
I concluded from my review that Mirabilis Jalapa Linn traditionally widely used medicinal plant. It is widely
available weed cultivated for medicinal and ornamental purposes. It shows a wide range of biological activities that helps
to utilize the medicinal benefits of this plant. However, here remains an immense scope for further exploration of this plat
and needs the attention of scientists to exploit the full potential activities of this plant.
Reference
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