Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Nutraceutical Profile of Carissa Species: An Updated Review

Abstract

Carissa, a genus of the Apocynaceae family, consists of evergreen species, such as shrubs as well as small trees that are native to Asia, Africa, and Oceania's subtropical and tropical regions. Most of the Carissa species are traditionally used to treat various diseases, such as chest pain, headaches, gonorrhoea, rheumatism, syphilis, oedema, rabies, stomach pain, hepatitis, cardiac diseases, and asthma. The pharmacological studies on Carissa species revealed its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, cardioprotective, antipyretic, analgesic, wound healing, anticonvulsant, antiarthritic, adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities, thus validating its use in indigenous medicine systems. The review article summarised the comprehensive literature available, including morphology, indigenous uses, bioactive composition, nutraceutical, and pharmacological activities of Carissa species. A total of 155 research papers were cited in this review article. The Carissa fruits are rich in dietary fibre, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamin C, and macro- and micro-elements. A total of 121 compounds (35 polyphenols (flavonoids and phenolic acids), 30 lignans, 41 terpenoids, 7 steroids, 2 coumarins, and 6 cardiac glycosides) have been extracted from C. spinarum, C. carandas, and C. macrocarpa. Among all chemical constituents, lupeol, carissol, naringin, carisssone, scopoletin, carissaeduloside A, D, J, carandinol, sarhamnoloside, carissanol, olivil, carinol, 3β-hydroxyolean-11-en-28,13β-oilde, ursolic acid, and carissone are the key bioactive constituents responsible for pharmacological activities of genus Carissa. The gathered ethnopharmacological information in the review will help to understand the therapeutic relevance of Carissa as well as paving a way for further exploration in the discovery of novel plant-based drugs.

Keywords: Carissa; bioactive compounds; nutraceutical profile; pharmacological activity; phytochemistry.

Figure 1

Geographical distribution of Carissa species (Created with mapchart.net).

Figure 2

Representative pictures showing morphology of Carissa spinarum (A), C. carandas (B), C. macrocarpa (C), and C. bispinosa (D): a—whole plant; b—flower; c—fruit. Sources: C. spinarum (http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org, accessed on 10 November 2021); C. carandas plant (http://chengailimfruittrees.blogspot.com, accessed on 10 November 2021); C. carandas flowers (https://indiabiodiversity.org, accessed on 10 November 2021); C. carandas fruits (http://tropical.theferns.info, accessed on 10 November 2021); C. macrocarpa plant and fruit (http://www.tradewindsfruit.com, accessed on 10 November 2021); C. macrocarpa flower (http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org, accessed on 10 November 2021); C. bispinosa plant (http://natureswow2.blogspot.com, accessed on 10 November 2021); C. bispinosa flowers and fruits (https://treesa.org, accessed on 10 November 2021).

Figure 3

Chemical structure of biologically active isolated compounds of Carissa species: lupeol (1), ursolic acid (2), carissone (3), caredulis,-{1-[2-(2 hydroxypropoxy) propoxy] propan-2-yloxy} (4), carissanol (5), carinol (6), β-sitosterol (7), scopoletin (8), butyl-O-α-l-rhamnoside (9), carenone (10), carissic acid (11), carissol (12), 2-hydroxyacetophenone (13), 3β-hydroxyolean-11-en-28,13β-olide (14), dehydrocarissone (15), carindone (16), carandinol (17), olivil (18), naringin (19), oleuropein (20), ɑ-amyrin (21), sarhamnoloside (22), nortrachelogenin (23), carissaedulosides A (24), carissaedulosides d (25), carissaedulosides J (26), lanost-5-en-3b-ol-21-oic acid (27), (+)-cycloolivil (28), (−)-secoisolariciresinol (29), R=OH ((+)-8-hydroxypinoresinol (30), R=H ((+)-pinoresinol (31), erythro-1-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propan-1,2-diol (32), 3-carboxy methyl-benzoic acid (33), threo-1-(3methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propan-1,2-diol (34), vanillic acid (35), protocatechuic acid (36), (6R,7S,8S)-7a-[(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-oxy]1-methoxy isolariciresinol (37), (+)-isolariciresinol3a-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (38), (−)lyoniresinol3α-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (39), (+)-lyoniresinol3α-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (40), acetophenone-2-O-βxylopyranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-glucopyranoside (41), kaempferol-3-O-robinobioside (42), p-coumaric acid (43), salicin (44), kaempferol-3-O-α-l-rhamopyranosyl (45), variabiloside E (46), 3,4-dimethylphenol β-gentiobioside (47), carandoside (48), (6S,7R,8R)-7a-[(β-glucopyranosyl) oxy]lyoniresinol (49), (6R,7S,8S)-7a-[(β-glucopyranosyl)oxy]lyoniresinol (50), [(1S,2S,3S)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3,7-dihydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-6methoxy-2-naphthalen-yl] methyl β-d-gluco-pyranoside (51), β-amyrin (52), methyl oleanate (53), oleanolic acid (54), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (55).

Figure 3

Chemical structure of biologically active isolated compounds of Carissa species: lupeol (1), ursolic acid (2), carissone (3), caredulis,-{1-[2-(2 hydroxypropoxy) propoxy] propan-2-yloxy} (4), carissanol (5), carinol (6), β-sitosterol (7), scopoletin (8), butyl-O-α-l-rhamnoside (9), carenone (10), carissic acid (11), carissol (12), 2-hydroxyacetophenone (13), 3β-hydroxyolean-11-en-28,13β-olide (14), dehydrocarissone (15), carindone (16), carandinol (17), olivil (18), naringin (19), oleuropein (20), ɑ-amyrin (21), sarhamnoloside (22), nortrachelogenin (23), carissaedulosides A (24), carissaedulosides d (25), carissaedulosides J (26), lanost-5-en-3b-ol-21-oic acid (27), (+)-cycloolivil (28), (−)-secoisolariciresinol (29), R=OH ((+)-8-hydroxypinoresinol (30), R=H ((+)-pinoresinol (31), erythro-1-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propan-1,2-diol (32), 3-carboxy methyl-benzoic acid (33), threo-1-(3methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propan-1,2-diol (34), vanillic acid (35), protocatechuic acid (36), (6R,7S,8S)-7a-[(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-oxy]1-methoxy isolariciresinol (37), (+)-isolariciresinol3a-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (38), (−)lyoniresinol3α-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (39), (+)-lyoniresinol3α-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (40), acetophenone-2-O-βxylopyranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-glucopyranoside (41), kaempferol-3-O-robinobioside (42), p-coumaric acid (43), salicin (44), kaempferol-3-O-α-l-rhamopyranosyl (45), variabiloside E (46), 3,4-dimethylphenol β-gentiobioside (47), carandoside (48), (6S,7R,8R)-7a-[(β-glucopyranosyl) oxy]lyoniresinol (49), (6R,7S,8S)-7a-[(β-glucopyranosyl)oxy]lyoniresinol (50), [(1S,2S,3S)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3,7-dihydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-6methoxy-2-naphthalen-yl] methyl β-d-gluco-pyranoside (51), β-amyrin (52), methyl oleanate (53), oleanolic acid (54), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (55).

Figure 3

Chemical structure of biologically active isolated compounds of Carissa species: lupeol (1), ursolic acid (2), carissone (3), caredulis,-{1-[2-(2 hydroxypropoxy) propoxy] propan-2-yloxy} (4), carissanol (5), carinol (6), β-sitosterol (7), scopoletin (8), butyl-O-α-l-rhamnoside (9), carenone (10), carissic acid (11), carissol (12), 2-hydroxyacetophenone (13), 3β-hydroxyolean-11-en-28,13β-olide (14), dehydrocarissone (15), carindone (16), carandinol (17), olivil (18), naringin (19), oleuropein (20), ɑ-amyrin (21), sarhamnoloside (22), nortrachelogenin (23), carissaedulosides A (24), carissaedulosides d (25), carissaedulosides J (26), lanost-5-en-3b-ol-21-oic acid (27), (+)-cycloolivil (28), (−)-secoisolariciresinol (29), R=OH ((+)-8-hydroxypinoresinol (30), R=H ((+)-pinoresinol (31), erythro-1-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propan-1,2-diol (32), 3-carboxy methyl-benzoic acid (33), threo-1-(3methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propan-1,2-diol (34), vanillic acid (35), protocatechuic acid (36), (6R,7S,8S)-7a-[(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-oxy]1-methoxy isolariciresinol (37), (+)-isolariciresinol3a-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (38), (−)lyoniresinol3α-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (39), (+)-lyoniresinol3α-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (40), acetophenone-2-O-βxylopyranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-glucopyranoside (41), kaempferol-3-O-robinobioside (42), p-coumaric acid (43), salicin (44), kaempferol-3-O-α-l-rhamopyranosyl (45), variabiloside E (46), 3,4-dimethylphenol β-gentiobioside (47), carandoside (48), (6S,7R,8R)-7a-[(β-glucopyranosyl) oxy]lyoniresinol (49), (6R,7S,8S)-7a-[(β-glucopyranosyl)oxy]lyoniresinol (50), [(1S,2S,3S)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3,7-dihydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-6methoxy-2-naphthalen-yl] methyl β-d-gluco-pyranoside (51), β-amyrin (52), methyl oleanate (53), oleanolic acid (54), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (55).

Figure 3

Chemical structure of biologically active isolated compounds of Carissa species: lupeol (1), ursolic acid (2), carissone (3), caredulis,-{1-[2-(2 hydroxypropoxy) propoxy] propan-2-yloxy} (4), carissanol (5), carinol (6), β-sitosterol (7), scopoletin (8), butyl-O-α-l-rhamnoside (9), carenone (10), carissic acid (11), carissol (12), 2-hydroxyacetophenone (13), 3β-hydroxyolean-11-en-28,13β-olide (14), dehydrocarissone (15), carindone (16), carandinol (17), olivil (18), naringin (19), oleuropein (20), ɑ-amyrin (21), sarhamnoloside (22), nortrachelogenin (23), carissaedulosides A (24), carissaedulosides d (25), carissaedulosides J (26), lanost-5-en-3b-ol-21-oic acid (27), (+)-cycloolivil (28), (−)-secoisolariciresinol (29), R=OH ((+)-8-hydroxypinoresinol (30), R=H ((+)-pinoresinol (31), erythro-1-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propan-1,2-diol (32), 3-carboxy methyl-benzoic acid (33), threo-1-(3methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propan-1,2-diol (34), vanillic acid (35), protocatechuic acid (36), (6R,7S,8S)-7a-[(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-oxy]1-methoxy isolariciresinol (37), (+)-isolariciresinol3a-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (38), (−)lyoniresinol3α-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (39), (+)-lyoniresinol3α-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (40), acetophenone-2-O-βxylopyranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-glucopyranoside (41), kaempferol-3-O-robinobioside (42), p-coumaric acid (43), salicin (44), kaempferol-3-O-α-l-rhamopyranosyl (45), variabiloside E (46), 3,4-dimethylphenol β-gentiobioside (47), carandoside (48), (6S,7R,8R)-7a-[(β-glucopyranosyl) oxy]lyoniresinol (49), (6R,7S,8S)-7a-[(β-glucopyranosyl)oxy]lyoniresinol (50), [(1S,2S,3S)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3,7-dihydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-6methoxy-2-naphthalen-yl] methyl β-d-gluco-pyranoside (51), β-amyrin (52), methyl oleanate (53), oleanolic acid (54), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (55).

Figure 4

Ratio of biological activities screened during the analysis of the literature from C. spinarum, C. carandas, C. macrocarpa, and C. bispinosa.