Ethnopharmacological Properties and Medicinal Uses of Litsea cubeba

The genus Litsea is predominant in tropical and subtropical regions of India, China, Taiwan, and Japan. The plant possesses medicinal properties and has been traditionally used for curing various gastro-intestinal ailments (e.g., diarrhea, stomachache, indigestion, and gastroenteritis) along with diabetes, edema, cold, arthritis, asthma, and traumatic injury. Besides its medicinal properties, Litsea is known for its essential oil, which has protective action against several bacteria, possesses antioxidant and antiparasitic properties, exerts acute and genetic toxicity as well as cytotoxicity, and can even prevent several cancers. Here we summarize the ethnopharmacological properties, essentials oil, medicinal uses, and health benefits of an indigenous plant of northeast India, emphasizing the profound research to uplift the core and immense potential present in the conventional medicine of the country. This review is intended to provide insights into the gaps in our knowledge that need immediate focus on in-situ conservation strategies of Litsea due to its non-domesticated and dioecious nature, which may be the most viable approach and intense research for the long-term benefits of society and local peoples.

[1]  P. Murányi,et al.  Review on the chemical composition of Litsea cubeba essential oils and the bioactivity of its major constituents citral and limonene , 2019, Journal of Essential Oil Research.

[2]  Hong Zhang,et al.  Insecticidal activities of constituents of Litsea cubeba fruit extracts effective against the maize weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) , 2017, Journal of insect science.

[3]  M. Yadav Herbal drugs and phytoconstituents useful for the management of diabetes , 2017 .

[4]  Pradeep Kumar,et al.  Aflatoxins: A Global Concern for Food Safety, Human Health and Their Management , 2017, Front. Microbiol..

[5]  B. Bhatt,et al.  Fuelwood characteristics of important trees and shrubs of Eastern Himalaya , 2017 .

[6]  A. Steinmetz,et al.  Conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants: problems, progress, and prospects , 2016, Chinese Medicine.

[7]  Hong-Bin Zhang,et al.  Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the genus Litsea: An update. , 2016, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[8]  E. L. de Souza,et al.  Coatings comprising chitosan and Mentha piperita L. or Mentha × villosa Huds essential oils to prevent common postharvest mold infections and maintain the quality of cherry tomato fruit. , 2015, International journal of food microbiology.

[9]  Y. Kuo,et al.  Anti-inflammatory activity of neral and geranial isolated from fruits of Litsea cubeba Lour , 2015 .

[10]  H. Lou,et al.  The genus Litsea in traditional Chinese medicine: an ethnomedical, phytochemical and pharmacological review. , 2015, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[11]  Nathan Chukueke Medicinal Plants in China , 2015 .

[12]  Qingshan Shi,et al.  Antibacterial Activity and Kinetics of Litsea cubeba Oil on Escherichia coli , 2014, PloS one.

[13]  Yueju Zhao,et al.  Inhibitory Effect of Essential Oils on Aspergillus ochraceus Growth and Ochratoxin A Production , 2014, PloS one.

[14]  F. Ahmad,et al.  Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Litsea elliptica Blume and Litsea resinosa Blume (Lauraceae). , 2014, Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine.

[15]  H. Tamura,et al.  A New Diterpene from Litsea cubeba Fruits: Structure Elucidation and Capability to Induce Apoptosis in HeLa Cells , 2014, Molecules.

[16]  Donna D. Zhang,et al.  Plant Extracts of the Family Lauraceae: A Potential Resource for Chemopreventive Agents that Activate the Nuclear Factor-Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2/Antioxidant Response Element Pathway , 2014, Planta Medica.

[17]  A. Logrieco,et al.  Effect of Aspergillus flavus contamination on the inherent quality of Glycyrrhiza uralensis , 2014 .

[18]  Kewu Zeng,et al.  Chemical constituents with NO production inhibitory and cytotoxic activities from Litsea cubeba , 2014, Journal of Natural Medicines.

[19]  Q. Tu,et al.  Flavonoids and alkaloids from the leaves of Litsea fruticosa , 2013 .

[20]  M. Bakar,et al.  Antioxidant and phytochemical study on pengolaban (Litsea garciae), an edible underutilized fruit endemic to Borneo , 2013, Food Science and Biotechnology.

[21]  A. Smeriglio,et al.  Screening of fruit and leaf essential oils of Litsea cubeba Pers. from north-east India – chemical composition and antimicrobial activity , 2013 .

[22]  Cheng Huang,et al.  Four Flavanocoumarins from the Leaves of Litsea coreana Levl. , 2013, Chemistry & biodiversity.

[23]  Hailing Li,et al.  Potential cosmetic application of essential oil extracted from Litsea cubeba fruits from China , 2013 .

[24]  Y. Joshi,et al.  Butanolides from Methanolic Extract of Litsea glutinosa , 2013, Chemistry & biodiversity.

[25]  Bao Chang-yu Chemical Constituents from the Branch of Litsea cubeba(Lour.) Pers. , 2013 .

[26]  Yisheng Zheng,et al.  Wild Energy Plant Resources, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Sanqingshan in Eastern China , 2013 .

[27]  Chen Zhan-jua Chemical Constituents from Branch of Litsea cubeba( Lour. ) Pers. , 2013 .

[28]  M. Palash,et al.  In vitro antioxidant activity of methanolic leaves and barks extracts of four Litsea plants , 2013 .

[29]  Wen-Wen Lv,et al.  Antibacterial, Antifungal and Cytotoxic Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Litsea cubeba , 2012, Molecules.

[30]  S. Bhattacharya,et al.  Vapor of Volatile Oils from Litsea cubeba Seed Induces Apoptosis and Causes Cell Cycle Arrest in Lung Cancer Cells , 2012, PloS one.

[31]  R. Reyes‐Chilpa,et al.  Antidepressant activity of Litsea glaucescens essential oil: identification of β-pinene and linalool as active principles. , 2012, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[32]  R. L. Bezbaruah,et al.  Insights from the docking analysis of biologically active compounds from plant Litsea Genus as potential COX-2 inhibitors , 2012, Bioinformation.

[33]  Sheng-Yang Wang,et al.  Neuropharmacological activities of fruit essential oil from Litsea cubeba Persoon , 2012, Journal of Wood Science.

[34]  Xiaojiao Han,et al.  Chemical Composition of Essential Oils of Litsea cubeba Harvested from Its Distribution Areas in China , 2012, Molecules.

[35]  Rong Huang,et al.  Megastigmane O-glucopyranosides from Litsea glutinosa , 2012, Chemistry of Natural Compounds.

[36]  Tsung-Shi Yang,et al.  Antimicrobial impact of the components of essential oil of Litsea cubeba from Taiwan and antimicrobial activity of the oil in food systems. , 2012, International journal of food microbiology.

[37]  M. Kannan,et al.  Litsea Deccanensis Ameliorates Myocardial Infarction in Wistar Rats: Evidence from Biochemical and Histological Studies , 2011, Journal of young pharmacists : JYP.

[38]  E. I. Wang,et al.  Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Leaf and Twig Essential Oils of Litsea Akoensis from Taiwan , 2011, Natural product communications.

[39]  M. Dobhal,et al.  Chemical Constituents of Plants from the Genus Litsea , 2011, Chemistry & biodiversity.

[40]  M. Mohiuddin,et al.  Vegetative propagation of Litsea monopetala, a wild tropical medicinal plant: Effects of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on stem cuttings , 2011, Journal of Forestry Research.

[41]  Huizhu Yuan,et al.  The Fungicidal Terpenoids and Essential Oil from Litsea cubeba in Tibet , 2010, Molecules.

[42]  Yunxia Lu,et al.  [Study on the mechanism of action of total flavonoids of Litsea coreana for reducing blood glucose level in rat with type 2 diabetes mellitus]. , 2010, Zhongguo Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Zhongguo Zhongxiyi jiehe zazhi = Chinese journal of integrated traditional and Western medicine.

[43]  E. I. Wang,et al.  Compositions and in vitro Anticancer activities of the Leaf and Fruit Oils of Litsea cubeba from Taiwan , 2010, Natural product communications.

[44]  S. Akhter,et al.  Ethno-medicinal plants use by the Manipuri tribal community in Bangladesh , 2010, Journal of Forestry Research.

[45]  Shiow-Ju Lee,et al.  A new butanolide and a new secobutanolide from Litsea lii var. nunkao-tahangensis , 2010, Natural product research.

[46]  Yan-qing Liu,et al.  Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils from Different Parts of Litsea cubeba , 2010, Chemistry & biodiversity.

[47]  Y. Pei-ming Study on Chemical Constituents of The Root of Litsea cubeba.II.Chloroform Portion and Ethyl Acetate Portion from Methanol Extract , 2010 .

[48]  M. Ghosh GC-MS Studies on the Bark Extracts of Litsea polyantha JUSS , 2010 .

[49]  Tao Feng,et al.  Two New Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Litsea cubeba , 2009 .

[50]  M. Isman,et al.  Comparative toxicity of essential oils of Litsea pungens and Litsea cubeba and blends of their major constituents against the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni. , 2009, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[51]  C. Xiao,et al.  A new amide from the leaves and twigs of Litsea auriculata , 2009, Journal of Natural Medicines.

[52]  Y. Ham,et al.  Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of Litsea japonica leaves , 2009 .

[53]  Cheng Huang,et al.  Preventive effects of total flavonoids of Litsea coreana leve on hepatic steatosis in rats fed with high fat diet. , 2009, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[54]  W. Juntarajumnong,et al.  Repellency, fumigant and contact toxicities of Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Persoon against Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). , 2009 .

[55]  E. I. Wang,et al.  Composition and antimicrobial activity of the leaf essential oil of Litsea kostermansii from Taiwan. , 2009, Natural product communications.

[56]  T. Chareonviriyaphap,et al.  Excito-repellency properties of essential oils from Melaleuca leucadendron L., Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Persoon, and Litsea salicifolia (Nees) on Aedes aegypti (L.) mosquitoes , 2008, Journal of vector ecology : journal of the Society for Vector Ecology.

[57]  N. C. Nandi,et al.  Aromatic plants of Bangladesh : Essential oils of leaves and fruits of Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C.B. Robinson , 2008 .

[58]  Chi-Hung Huang,et al.  Litebamine, a phenanthrene alkaloid from the wood of Litsea cubeba, inhibits rat smooth muscle cell adhesion and migration on collagen. , 2008, European journal of pharmacology.

[59]  L. Jirovetz,et al.  Composition and Antimicrobial Analysis of the Essential Oil of Litsea Laevigata Nees. (Lauraceae) , 2008 .

[60]  O. Tackenberg,et al.  Wind dispersal of alpine plant species: A comparison with lowland species , 2008 .

[61]  T. Auld,et al.  Dispersal and recruitment dynamics in the fleshy-fruited Persoonia lanceolata (Proteaceae) , 2007 .

[62]  I. Chen,et al.  Chemical Constituents from the Leaves of Litsea Acutivena , 2007 .

[63]  R. Baldessarini,et al.  Advances in development of dopaminergic aporphinoids. , 2007, Journal of medicinal chemistry.

[64]  A. Kong,et al.  Nrf2: a potential molecular target for cancer chemoprevention by natural compounds. , 2006, Antioxidants & redox signaling.

[65]  Yu Jian-ping Research on the mechanism of antioxidation of flavoniods from leaves of Litsea coreana , 2006 .

[66]  Jae-Kwan Hwang,et al.  Antioxidant activity of Litsea cubeba. , 2005, Fitoterapia.

[67]  C. Kala Ethnomedicinal botany of the Apatani in the Eastern Himalayan region of India , 2005, Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine.

[68]  P. Parajuli,et al.  Antidiabetic plants used by Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayan tribes, India. , 2005, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[69]  I. Jantan,et al.  A Comparative Study of the Composition of the Leaf Oils of Three Litsea species from Borneo , 2005 .

[70]  G. Tan,et al.  Sesquiterpenes and butenolides, natural anti-HIV constituents from Litsea verticillata. , 2005, Planta medica.

[71]  M. Luo,et al.  Acute and genetic toxicity of essential oil extracted from Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. , 2005, Journal of food protection.

[72]  Robin J. Pakeman,et al.  The role of the seed bank, seed rain and the timing of disturbance in gap regeneration , 2005 .

[73]  N. T. Tam,et al.  Chemical Variability of Litsea cubeba Leaf Oil from Vietnam , 2005 .

[74]  A. Escudero,et al.  Regenerative role of seed banks following an intense soil disturbance , 2005 .

[75]  M. Hermy,et al.  Seed bank assembly follows vegetation succession in dune slacks , 2004 .

[76]  Jae-Kwan Hwang,et al.  Effects of methanolic extract and fractions from Litsea cubeba bark on the production of inflammatory mediators in RAW264.7 cells. , 2004, Fitoterapia.

[77]  Jianping Yu,et al.  [The preliminary studies on antioxidation of three kinds of flavoniods from Litsea coreana]. , 2004, Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials.

[78]  T. McClanahan The effect of a seed source on primary succession in a forest ecosystem , 1986, Vegetatio.

[79]  N. Mohanan,et al.  A new species of Litsea (Lauraceae) from India , 2003 .

[80]  R. del Moral,et al.  The role of refugia and dispersal in primary succession on Mount St. Helens, Washington , 2003 .

[81]  Sun Young Lee,et al.  Lactones from the leaves of Litsea japonica and their anti-complement activity. , 2003, Journal of natural products.

[82]  Sang Kook Lee,et al.  Eugenol suppresses cyclooxygenase-2 expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells. , 2003, Life sciences.

[83]  D. Normile The New Face of Traditional Chinese Medicine , 2003, Science.

[84]  G. Tan,et al.  Natural anti-HIV agents. Part 3: Litseaverticillols A-H, novel sesquiterpenes from Litsea verticillata , 2003 .

[85]  A. Escudero,et al.  Seed bank spatial pattern in a temperate secondary forest , 2002 .

[86]  Sang Kook Lee,et al.  Evaluation of natural products on inhibition of inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in cultured mouse macrophage cells. , 2002, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[87]  G. Tan,et al.  Natural anti-HIV agents-part I: (+)-demethoxyepiexcelsin and verticillatol from Litsea verticillata. , 2002, Phytochemistry.

[88]  K. Lee,et al.  New cytotoxic butanolides from Litsea acutivena. , 2001, Journal of natural products.

[89]  J. Dupouey,et al.  Potential contribution of the seed bank in coniferous plantations to the restoration of native deciduous forest vegetation , 2001 .

[90]  L. Kapoor Handbook of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants: Herbal Reference Library , 2000 .

[91]  Li Meifang,et al.  Aporphine alkaloids of Litsea rotundifolia and L. rotundifolia var. oblongifolia. , 2000 .

[92]  M. Fay,et al.  In vitro propagation of Litsea cubeba (Lours.) Pers., a multipurpose tree , 2000, Plant Cell Reports.

[93]  N. Nakamura,et al.  Inhibitory effects of Indonesian medicinal plants on the infection of herpes simplex virus type 1 , 1999, Phytotherapy research : PTR.

[94]  D. Larson,et al.  The role of seed rain in determining the assembly of a cliff community , 1998 .

[95]  P. Leclercq,et al.  Composition of the Stem, Flower and Fruit Oils of Litsea cubeba Pers. from Two Locations of Assam, India , 1998 .

[96]  K. Urbanska,et al.  Seed Rain in Natural Grassland and Adjacent Ski Run in the Swiss Alps: A Preliminary Report , 1998 .

[97]  Chien-Kuang Chen,et al.  Two Dibenzopyrrocoline Alkaloids from Litsea cubeba , 1996 .

[98]  A. M. Ageel,et al.  Evaluation of the aphrodisiac activity of Litsea chinensis (Lauraceae) and Orchis malculata (Orchidaceae) extracts in rats , 1994 .

[99]  B K Simpson,et al.  Aflatoxins in food: occurrence, biosynthesis, effects on organisms, detection, and methods of control. , 1991, Critical reviews in food science and nutrition.

[100]  B. C. Goswami,et al.  Studies on the foliar constituents of food plants of muga silkworm (Antheraea assama Westwood). , 1990 .

[101]  John H. Wiersema,et al.  The plant book : a portable dictionary of the higher plants , 1988 .

[102]  C. Ang USING PHEASANT PEPPER SEED OIL FOR CONTROLLING THE BROAD BEAN WEEVIL BRUCHUS RUFIMANUS , 1984 .

[103]  D. Holloway,et al.  Co-occurrence of aporphine and biphenyl constituents in Litsea turfosa , 1973 .

[104]  Kinzo Kafuku,et al.  Studies of the Formosan Plant Seed Oils. XII , 1935 .