Gymnema sylvestre
| Gymnema sylvestre | |
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| Gymnema sylvestre, at Eastern ghats, India. | |
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| Species: | G. sylvestre
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| Binomial name | |
| Gymnema sylvestre | |
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Periploca sylvestris | |
Gymnema sylvestre is an herb native to the tropical forests of southern and central India and Sri Lanka. Common names include Gymnema,[1] cowplant, Australian cowplant, and Periploca of the woods.[2][3] The plant is best known for its leaf extract to suppress the sweet receptors of the tongue. The active ingredient that causes this physiological reaction is gurmarin, a polypeptide made of 35 amino acids.[4]
Despite the part used being the leaf, a common name of this species is miracle fruit,[2][3] a name shared by two other species: Synsepalum dulcificum and Thaumatococcus daniellii.[2]
Description
The plant is a climber with leaves having soft hairs on the upper surface. The leaves are elongate oval shaped. It has small yellow umbelliferous inflorescence which is produced throughout the year.[5]
Properties
Gymnema sylvestre has long been thought of as a medicinal plant in Asia.[6] The plants contain a large number of chemicals, including triterpenoids, which may have pharmacological properties.[6] The constituent saponins have the effect of suppressing the taste of sweetness.[6][7] Extracts from the plant are the subject of research into potential medicinal and industrial applications.[6]
Vernacular Indic names
- Bengali meshashrunga - মেষশৃঙ্গ
- tamachek Taemoerzôrt .
- Gujarati gudmar - ગુડમાર, madhunashini - મધુનાશિની
- Hindi gurmar - गुड़मार
- Kannada madhunashini - ಮಧುನಾಶಿನಿ
- Konkani kawli - कौळी
- Malayalam chakkarakolli - ചക്കരക്കൊല്ലി
- Marathi bedakicha pala - बेडकीचा पाला, gudmar - गुडमार
- Oriya lakshmi - ଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀ, mendhasingia - ମେଣ୍ଢା ଶିଙ୍ଗିଆ, nagapushpi - ନାଗପୁଷ୍ପୀ
- Sanskrit madhunaashini - मधुनाशिनी, meshasringa - मेषशृंग
- Sinhala මස්බැද්ද - Masbaedda
- Tamil sirukurinjan - சிறுகுறிஞ்சா, kokilam, கோகிலம்
- Telugu Podapatri - పొడపత్రి
- Urdu gurmar - گڑمار [8]
Etymology
Gymnema derives from the Greek words "gymnos" (γυμνὀς) and "nēma" (νῆμα) meaning "naked" and "thread" respectively; the species epitheton sylvestre means "of the forest" in Latin.[9]
The Hindi name Gurmar, Sanskrit Madhunashini, Urdu Gurmar, Malayalam Chakkarakolli and Telugu Podapatri, literally mean "sugar destroyer". (Sanskrit) Meshasringa translates as "ram's horn", a name given to the plant due to the shape of its fruits.
Uses
1. Diabetes. Early research suggests when a specific gymnema extract (GS4) is taken orally along with insulin or diabetes medications, blood sugar reduction in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes is enhanced.
2. Weight loss. Early research suggests that taking a specific combination of gymnema extract, hydroxycitric acid, and niacin-bound chromium by mouth for 8 weeks might reduce body weight in people who are overweight or obese.
3. Stimulating digestion.
4. As a laxative and diuretic.
Further evidence and research is needed to validate gymnema for these uses.[10]
References
- ^ Duke, James A., ed. (2002). Handbook of medicinal herbs (2nd ed.). CRC Press. p. 855. ISBN 0-8493-1284-1.
- ^ a b c Wiersema, John Harry; León, Blanca (1999). World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. CRC Press. p. 661. ISBN 0-8493-2119-0.
- ^ a b Rehm, Sigmund, ed. (1994). Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants. Springer. p. 91. ISBN 0-7923-2970-8.
- ^ Porchezhian, E.; Dobriya , R. M. (2003). "An overview on the advances of Gymnema sylvestre: chemistry, pharmacology and patents". Pharmazie. 58: 5–12.
- ^ Drury, Heber (1869). Hand-book of Indian Flora. p. 232.
- ^ a b c d Fabio GD, Romanucci V, De Marco A, Zarrelli A (2014). "Triterpenoids from Gymnema sylvestre and their pharmacological activities". Molecules (Review). 19 (8): 10956–81. doi:10.3390/molecules190810956. PMID 25072200.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ "Miracle Berry". Retrieved 14 May 2016.
- ^ Gurmar entry on Flowers of India. Accessed 24.10.2016.
- ^ Wikisource:The New International Encyclopædia/Gymnema
- ^ "Gymnema - Uses and Effectiveness". WebMD. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
Further reading
- Ambasta, S. P. (1986). The useful plants of India. New Delhi: Publications & Information Directorate, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research. ISBN 978-81-85038-02-5.
External links
Media related to Gymnema sylvestre at Wikimedia Commons- Gymnema sylvestre in West African plants – A Photo Guide.
- Miracle Berry for Flavour - NY Times
- Miracle Berry
