INTRODUCTION:

Medicinal herbs are the local heritage with global importance. World is endowed with a rich wealth of medicinal herbs. The different variety of plants with different therapeutic properties is quiet astonishing¹. In general natural drug substances plays vital and appreciable roles in the modern system of medicine there by justifying their presence in the prevailing therapeutic arsenal, namely serve as extremely useful natural drugs², provide basic compounds affording less toxic and more effective drug molecule, modification of inactive natural products by suitable biological and chemical means into patent drug. India has heritage of traditional medicine, Materia medica of India provides a lot of information on the folkore practices and traditional aspects of therapeutically important natural products. The evaluation of these drugs is mostly based on phytochemical, pharmacological and allied approaches including various instrumental techniques like chromatography, microscopy and others³. The herbal medicine is based on traditional medicine, exists in every continent of the globe and in every cultural area of the world. Each of these traditional medicines has its own origin and an individual basic philosophy⁴. Exploration of the chemical constituents of the plants and pharmacological screening may provide us the basis for developing a lead molecule.

Herbs have provided us some of the very important life saving drugs used in the armamentarium of modern medicine. Among the estimated 400,000 plant species, only 6% have been studied for biological activity, and about 15% have been investigated phytochemically⁵. Exploration of the chemical constituents of the plants and pharmacological screening may provide us the basis for developing a lead molecule. The isolation of the analgesic morphine from the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, in 1816 led to the development of many highly effective pain relievers⁶. The discovery of penicillin from the filamentous fungus Penicillium notatum by Fleming in 1929 had a great impact on the investigation of nature as a source of new bioactive agents⁷. Today, almost every pharmacological class of drugs contains a natural product or natural product analog. The investigation of higher plants has led the discovery of many new drugs^8. This shows a need of investigation of various chemical constituents, its activity and phyto-pharmacological evaluation of herbal drugs. Some orchid genera like Eulophia, Cypripedium, Gastrodia, Bletilla, Bulbophyllum, Anoectochilus, Arundina, Eria, Malaxis, Habenaria, Vanda, and Vanilla are enrich with different important phytochemicals.

Ethonobotanical survey:

Based on the survey made in region of Taluka Maval and Ambegaon, and during ethnobotanical survey, we came across the interesting plant named as Eulophia ochreata Lindl and was selected for the present investigation. Survey was done by asking questionarrie in several houses of people. The questions sometimes asked in Marathi for better understanding. The old people have answered the questions in a proper manner by telling procedure about how to take the herb. The herbs used for the review has well established histories of human use of these herbs for the treatment of rheumatic and arthritic conditions, said according to survey taken.

Description:

Medicines derived from plant extracts are being increasingly utilized to treat a wide variety of diseases, though relatively little knowledge about their mode of action is available. There is a growing interest in the pharmacological evaluation of various plants used in Indian traditional systems of medicine⁹.

DESCRIPTION OF HERBAL PLANT
Botanical name	Eulophia ocherata Lindl.
Family	Orchidaceae
Part(s) used	Tubers and Rhizomes
H abitat	Disturbed
Typical consumption	Regularly
Country	India

E. ochreata, commonly known as ‘Amarkand’ or ‘Singadyakand’, is a ground orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It is a perennial tuberous herb and usually appears in the forest during rainy season in shady rainforests¹⁰. It is a herb growing in dry deciduous forest in huge patches and on slope where the soil is deep. It is terrestrial, perennial herbs, pseudobulbs ovoid conical, marking irregular, transverse longitudinal, leaves 2-5, sheathing at base, ablong-lanceolate to ovate- elliptic. Flowers in dense racemes clustered at top of scape, corolla yellow, capsules broadly ovoid, deflexed, strongly ridged, green²⁰.

Ehanobotanical survey of the forest areas of Maharashtra revealed that these tubers are used as a specialty food, general tonic and as rejuvenating herb. It has been used by the tribes for properties like astringent, antifatigue, aphrodisiac, anthelminthic, and as a blood purifier. The tubers are also used in cough, cold and heart troubles¹¹. Tribals have been using tubers as a general tonic and as rejuvenating since long. On the basis of these prominent uses of E. ochreata, tubers were selected for my further work. The lack of well-documented scientific evidence will predominantly impede the progress of isolated molecule in the avenue.

Distribution:

According to flora of kolhapur district, localities for Eulophia ochreata Lindl in kolhapur region are Mahalunge,Panhala, Turrukwadi²⁰.From the literature survey it is evident that Eulophia species are found throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia and the Americas but well distributed in Africa. About 33% of Indian Eulophia species occur worldwide while about 2.4 % worldwide occurring Eulophia species are reported in India. Bhattacharjee reported 22 species of Eulophia in India¹².

Photos of Eulophia ocherata Lindl

Fig No.1 Single Tuber with rhizomes

Fig no.2 Group of Tubers with rhizomes

Fig No.3 Tubers without rhizomes

Fig No.4 Yellow flowers²⁶

Today there are 30 Indian Eulophias found. Out of 30 Indian Eulophias, 4 are reported in Maharashtra viz. E. herbacea, E. nuda, E. ochreata and E. ramentacea. The tribal as well as rural people have distinct traditions, beliefs, dialects, way of life and knowledge of local flora. They are intimately associated with the forests. These people depend on plants for their routine requirement. Pawara tribals of Toranmal region, Nandurbar, Maharashtra eat raw tubers of E. ochreata for rejuvenating and aphrodisiac properties and tuber sap is also applied externally for curing rheumatism¹³.

Phytochemical constituents:

Orchids have been used as a source of medicine for millennia to treat different diseases and ailments including tuberculosis, paralysis, stomach disorders, chest pain, arthritis, syphilis, jaundice, cholera, acidity, eczema, tumour, piles, boils, inflammations, menstrual disorder, spermatorrhea, leucoderma, diahorrhea, muscular pain, blood dysentery, hepatitis, dyspepsia, bone fractures, rheumatism, asthma, malaria, earache, sexually transmitted diseases, wounds and sores. Besides, many orchidaceous preparations are used as emetic, purgative, aphrodisiac, vermifuge, bronchodilator, sex stimulator, contraceptive, cooling agent and remedies in scorpion sting and snake bite. Some of the preparations are supposed to have miraculous curative properties but rare scientific demonstration available which is a primary requirement for clinical implementations. Incredible diversity, high alkaloids and glycosides content, research on orchids is full of potential.

Chemical Composition of Eulophia Ochreata tubers¹⁹

Component Value	(percentage)
Crude Protein	5.44±0.51
Ash	9.1±0.19
Fat	3.25 ±0.04
Fibre	22.9±0.03
Carbohydrate	59.31±0.33

Values expressed as mean±SD of three determinations.

Mineral Composition of Eulophia Ochreata tubers¹⁹

Mineral	Concentration(mg/g)
Sodium	1.62
Potassium	4.63
Calcium	7.37
Zinc	3.83
Iron	5.04
Copper	N.D
Cadmium	N.D
Chromium	N.D
Lead	N.D

N.D. : Not Detected

Orchids, like other plants, produce a large number of phytochemicals. Only a few of them have been investigated for their biological function, others are still unknown. Orchid phytochemicals are generally categorized as alkaloids, flavonoids, carotenoids, anthocyanins and sterols. Among them alkaloids and flavonoids are most important for their biological properties. Few Indian Eulophia species are reported for their phyto constituents. The Eulophia species reported to contain eullophiol, Nudol¹⁵, β-sitostorol¹⁴, ephemeranthol, fimbriol etc. as active phyto constituents¹⁶.

Therapeutic uses:

Recently, Kshirsagar¹³ established an evidence for the usage of E. ochreata as an antioxidant and two active molecules responsible for it since the tubers of E.ochreata have been used in folk medicine for rejuvenating, aphrodisiac and antirheumatic properties. Also used as for anti proliferative activity against human breast cancer. They are also used as Antipyretic, Immunomodulatory, Antianaemic, Nutritional, Anti-Diarrhoeal, Anti-Dysentry, Belly-ache, Anti-Asthamatic, Anti-Bronchitis, Aphrodisiac, Anti-rheumatic , Antifutigue, Skin Dis. Protective, Wound Healing, Anti-bacterial, Anti-Tumor Rejuinating in general health¹⁸.

Developments in research area of Eulophia Ochreata tubers:

1) D Kasote²¹ et al carried out studies on Antibacterial activity of eulophia ochreata l. tubers. Antibacterial activity of hexane, methanol, ethyl acetate and water extract of Eulophia ochreata L. tubers were evaluated against bacterial strains of Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Antibacterial activity of extracts was determined by using agar well diffusion method. All extracts showed antibacterial activity against the tested microorganisms. Present study reveals that among the four extracts of Eulophia ochreata tubers, hexane extract is the most effective against tested microorganisms.

2) Praneel Datla²² et al carried work as 9,10-Dihydro-2,5-dimethoxyphenanthrene-1,7-diol (RSCL-0520) is a phenanthrene isolated from Eulophia ochreata, one of the Orchidaceae family, known by local tradition to exhibit medicinal properties. However, no anti-inflammatory activity or any molecular mechanisms involved have been reported or elucidated. Here, for the first time, we evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of RSCL-0520 on responses induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and mediated via Toll-like receptors (TLRs).

3) Ali Aberoumand and S.S. Deokule²³ et al studied Phenolic compounds, ubiquitous in plants are an essential part of the human diet and are of considerable interest due to their antioxidant properties. The antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds depends on the structure, in particular the number and positions of the hydroxyl groups and the nature of substitutions on the aromatic rings. Alocacia indica sch., Asparagus officinalis DC., Chlorophytum comosum Linn., Cordia Myxa Roxb., Eulophia Ochreata Lindl., Momordica dioicia Roxb., Portulaca oleracia Linn. And Solanum indicum Linn. are the major sources of phenolic compounds in the human diet. Soluble phenolic acids were extracted with methanol. The aim of this study was determination of the distribution and total phenolic compound in a wide range of vegetables consumed in India and Iran.

4) Aberoumand, A. and Deokule, S.S²⁴. reported the nutritional properties of eight edible plant foods: Alocacia indica Sch, Asparagus officinalis D.C., Portulaca oleracia Linn., Momordica dioicia Roxb., Eulophia ochreata Lindl., Solanum indicum Linn. were examined. Cordia myxa Roxb. and Chlorophytum comosum Linn. The foods were analyzed with standard analysis methods in order to detect several nutrient and anti-nutrient compounds present in each. These included: water, starch, free sugars, such as glucose, fructose and sucrose, and, phytic acid and trypsin inhibitors. The eight edible plants formed three groups according to their nutritional properties, each being suitable for different technological processes. Cordia myxa had the highest concentration of sucrose (29.09 g/100g) probably due to a better storage process. Three plants (Momordica dioicia, Eulophia ochreata and Portulaca oleracia) are suitable for high temperature food processes, because they have very low free sugars concentrations; thereby reducing the possibility of Maillard reaction and subsequent acrylamide formation.

5) Harsulkar Abhay et al²⁵reportedthe anti-inflammatory activity of Eulophia ochreata L. tubers extract in carrageenan induced rat paw model of acute inflammation. Subplantar injection of 0.1 ml of 1 % carrageenan induced a progressive swelling of the rat paw at all the time points, that reached to a maximal volume in control between 1 and 2 h. they reported that methanolic extract of E. ochreata tubers prevented progresson of oedema up to 48 % at dose of 0.5 gm/kg b.w. and 53 % at dose of 1 gm/kg b.w., where as diclofenac showed 61 % inhibition. The tuber extract also showed significant antioxidant activity as indicated by DPPH radical scavenging capacity, antilipid peroxidation activity, reducing power capacity and nitric oxide radical inhibition asssay.

CONCLUSION:

The present review article highlights the properties, potential, therapeutic uses and research on Eulophia ochreata L. Based on survey taken, the review also highlights the importance of its use in forest areas by the old people for external as well as internal use for arthritic patient. People also reported that the 1 tuber chopped and mixed with 1 cup of milk, add sugar for taste and finally prepare khair and drink one time for 40 days and person will get cured from bone pains. The lack of well-documented scientific evidence will predominantly impede the progress of isolated molecule in the avenue. Thus this information will be further taken into consideration for isolation of new active molecules from said herb.In present scenario, there is urgent need to utilize ancient knowledge of Eulophia ochreata L. to bring its maximum potential in the field of medical and pharmaceutical sciences in novel herbal drug development ans its practical application so that a common man in this world will be benefited for improving its health, as Eulophia ochreata L. is a valuable and precious gift from nature.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

I would like to thanks my respective Guide and Principal Dr. C.S. Magdum and Vice Principal Dr. S.K. Mohite of Rajarambapu college of Pharmacy, Kasegaon for providing necessary infrastructure and telling valuable suggestion time to time.

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26. www.google.com/images

Received on 06.03.2014 Modified on 13.04.2014

Res. J. Pharmacognosy & Phytochem. 6(3): July-Sept.2014; Page 132-136