a pharmacological review on vetiveria zezanioides - International ...

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International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2249-6793
International Journal of Universal Pharmacy and Life Sciences 2(4): July-August 2012
IINNTTEERRNNAATTIIOONNAALL JJOOUURRNNAALL OOFF UUNNIIVVEERRSSAALL
PPHHAARRMMAACCYY AANNDD LLIIFFEE SSCCIIEENNCCEESS
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Received: 13-08-2012; Revised; Accepted: 19-08-2012
Review Article……!!!
A PHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW ON VETIVERIA ZEZANIOIDES
Suralkar Anupama A.*, Kamble Rahul D., Rodge Kishor N., Shaikh Haidarali
Department of Pharmacology, Padm. Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Research,
Pimpri, Pune-18, M.S., India
Keywords:
ABSTRACT
Vetiveria zizanioides, Vetiveria zizanioides is belonging to Poaceae family. It is
antioxidant, antifungal,
antimicrobial
well known plant from south India and widely distributed in
India, Burma, Ceylon, and spread from Southwest Asia to
tropical Africa. Vetiveria zizanioides commonly known as
For Correspondence: khas khas, khus, vetiver, Vala in different languages. Root of
Suralkar Anupama A. Vetiveria zizanioides have been suggested in the Indian
Department of Pharmacology, system of medicine for a number of diseases. These includes
Padm. Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences &
as decoction in high fever, inflammation and sexual disorder,
as paste in diarrhoea, chronic dysentery and in ayurvedic
preparations and as juice in anthelmentic. This plant was
Research, Pimpri, Pune-18, screened <strong>pharmacological</strong>ly for antibacterial, antifungal,
M.S., India
anticataleptic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory and anti-
E-mail:
arthritic activity. This will be creating helpfulness towards
anupamaas@rediffmail.com
this medicinal plant and for preparation of different ayurvedic
formulation with more therapeutic and economic
consideration in treatment of various diseases.
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INTRODUCTION
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Vetiveria zizanioides, (Poaceae) also known as khus, khas or khus grass, is native to India. The
vetiver grass has a gregarious habit and grows in bunches. It is a densely tufted grass, with long,
thin and rigid leaves and can grow uto 1.5 meters high 1 . The grass grows well in rich marshy soil
that is found throughout the plains and lower hills of India, especially on the riverbanks. The
plant is different from the other grass forms, in that instead of having mat-like root systems, The
plant grows in large clumps from a branched ‘spongy’ rootstock with erect culms 2 . It has been
cultivated longest for the scented oil produced by its roots as well as for the ability of the plant to
retain soil and prevent erosion 3,4 . The plant is well known for its oil that is used in medicine and
perfumery. Roots for preparing Sharbat (sherbet) or soft drink during summer, especially in
North India. Along with this, Khas Khas is also used for cooling purposes, flavoring sharbats,
and making mats, hand fans etc 5 .The antioxidant property also reported.The roots having the
refrigerant, febrifuge, diaphoretic, stomachic and immunogogue property 6 .
BOTANICAL STUDY:
Kingdom :Plantae
Order :Poales
Family :Poales
Genus :Vetiveria
Species :Vetiveria zizanioides
Figure 1 : Vetiveria zizanioides nash plant.
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Common Names 7 .
Tamil - Lamichamver; Vettiver
Kannada - Vettiveeru; Laamanche;
Sanskrit - Abhaya; Amrinala;
Hindi - Bala; Balah; Bena.
Urdu - Khas.
Bengali - Khas-Khas.
Gujarati - Valo.
Marathi - Vala; Khas-Khas.
Punjab - Panni
Synonym: 8
Andropogon zizanioides Linn.
Andropogon squarrosus Hack.
Andropogon muricatus Retz.
Andropogon nardus Blanco.
Andropogon nigritanus Stapf.
Andropogon festucoides Presl.
Agrostis verticillata Lam.
Phalaris zizanioides Linn.
Other species from vetiveria genus: 8
V. arguta (Steud.) C.E. Hubb.,
V. elongata (R. Br.) Stapf,
V. filipes (Benth.) C.E. Hubb.,
V. filipes (Benth.) C.E. Hubb. var. arundinacea (Reeder) Jansen,
V. fulvibarbis ( Trin.) Stapf,
V. intermedia S.T. Blake,
V. lawsoni (Hook.f.) Blatter & McCann,
V. nigritana(Benth.) Stapf,
V. pauciflora S.T. Blake,
V. rigida B.K. Simon
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PHYSICAL PROPERTIES: 7
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Part used Roots and Leaves
Colour and odour Pale yellow with earthy, smokey odor
Solubility Insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol and oils.
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:
Vetiveria consist of bioactive molecule such as flavanoids, alkaloids, Triterpenes include
vetivone, Khusimene, Khusimone, 3-epizizanol, Epizizanal, 5-epiprezizane, Khusimol, Iso-
khusimol, Cadinene, Valencene, Calarene 1 .
PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES:
Antibacterial activity:
Suaib Luqman et al., found that hexane extract of inflorescence, intact roots and spent roots,
upon hydrodistillation extracting the essential oil from Vetiveria zizanioides L. in two genotypes
(gulabi and KS-1), were evaluated for antibacterial activity against wild-type and drug-resistant
strains of Mycobacterium smegmatis and Escherichia coli using disk diffusion and micro-broth
dilution methods. The results showed that Vetiveria zizanioides cv gulabi has better inhibitory
activity against drug-resistant strains of M. smegmatis and E. coli, as compared with KS-1. The
results suggest DNA gyrase inhibitory action, because the strains resistant to quinolones due to
gyrase mutations are sensitive to the extracts 9 .
Antioxidant activity:
Subhadradevi V et al., studied antioxidant activity and results of in vitro study had shown that
both the tested essential oils possessed antioxidative characteristics including 2,2‘-azino-bis (3-
ethylbenz-thiazoline-6-sulfonicacid) radical-scavenging effect and reducing power. Furthermore
our results indicated that treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophages with Vetiveria zizanioides and
Glechoma hederacea essential oils significantly decreased LPS-induced NO (nitric oxide) levels,
superoxide anion production, and reduced thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS)
accumulation, increased the GSH level and regulated the antioxidant enzyme activities. The
results showed that Vetiveria zizanioides and Glechoma hederacea essential oils may ameliorate
oxidative stress in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, both tested essential
oils can prevents LPS-induced DNA fragmentation in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and reduce the
LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages mRNA expression including iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β,
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TNF-α and IFN-β mRNA expression. Additionally, both the tested essential oils can increase
HO-1 mRNA expression in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. The increasing HO-1
mRNA expression was reported that can protect cells from inflammation 10 .
Antimicrobial activity:
Devprakash et al., proved significant antimicrobial activity at 1000 μg/ml dose against pathogens
namely Staphylococcus aureus Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtitils.
Vetiveria zizanioides traditionally used for the treatment of various bacterial and fungal
infections 11 .
Free radical scavenging activity:
Dhirendra Kumar Tarai et al., performed the Antioxidant activity of ethanolic and ethyl acetate
extracts of Vetiveria zizanioides root was studied for their in vitro free radical scavenging
activity by 1,1- Diphenyl –2 picryl hydrazyl model. The extracts showed significant dose
dependent free radical scavenging activity. The reducing property of Vetiveria zizanioides root
extract indicates that it is capable of donating hydrogen atoms in dose dependent manner 12 .
Antifungal activity:
Devprakash, Srinivasan KK et al., proved that ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Vetiveria
zizanioides showed the toxicity against all the fungas. The ethanolic extract of plant showed
better antifungal activity than aqueous extract. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay
were determined for these two extracts against fungal strain. Vetiveria zizanioides revealed more
antifungal activity against Asperigulls nigar, Asperigulls clavatus. The phytochemical analysis
carried out, revealed the presence of flavanoids, glycosides, phenols, tannins, saponins and
alkaloids. The results provide justification for the use of the plants in folk medicine to treat
various infectious diseases 13 .
Analgesic, Anti-Pyretic and Anti-Inflammatory activities:
Uma Shankar Sharma et al., evaluated for the analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory
activities of ethanolic roots extract of Andropogon muricatus at 100, 150, 250mg/kg dose in
albino rats following oral administration. The results showed that the ethanolic extract
significantly reduce the acetic acid induce writhing in analgesic model. Its effects on antipyretic
activity were also appreciable it significantly reduces fever at higher doses within 2 hrs. on yeast
induce hyperthermia in rats. Edema induced by carrageenan was also significantly reduced
within 1 to 7 hr. post dosing at all the dose levels used
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14 .

Anti-arthritic activity:
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Tara Shankar Basuri et al., reported The anti-arthritic activity at 200mg/kg dose of root extracts
of Vetiveria zizanioides belonging to family Poaceae was studied in rats this dose significantly
exert anti-arthritic activity. Root extracts of Vetiveria zizanioides were extracted successively
with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, chloroform, methanol using soxhlet apparatus and distilled
water by maceration. Each extracts were then subjected for preliminary phytochemical studies,
acute toxicity studies and <strong>pharmacological</strong> investigation for anti-arthritic activity by Fruends
adjuant arthritis model. All the present study reveals that the various extracts of Vetiveria
zizanioides can be used as anti-arthritic drug 1 .
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