1. ETHNOBOTANY
LECTURE
Presented by:
Cipriano, Mary Chris S.
Ethnobotany Lecture (BOTA115)
M-F/2:00-4:00
Mrs. Bandelaria

2. Catharanthus roseus

3. Taxonomic Description
Kingdom Plantae
Division Magnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Order Gentianales
Family Apocynaceae
Genus Catharanthus
Species C. roseus
Botanical name: Catharanthus roseus
Common name: Rosy/Pink/Madagascar periwinkle (English)
Chichirica (Tagalog)

4. Botanical Description
Chichirica is a fleshy perennial growing to 32 in (80
cm) high. It is an erect, smooth or slightly hairy, simple or
slightly branched plant. Stems are somewhat woody.
Leaves are oblong, 4 to 7 centimeters long, rounded at
tip, pointed at base. Flowers are white, pink, or red, or
variegated white and red, 3.5 cm to 5 centimeters across,
borne in the axils of the leaves. Calyx-lobes are green and
very slender. about 4 millimeters long. Corolla-tube is
slender, 2.5 to 3 centimeters long, and pale green; the
limb is spreading with obliquely obovate lobes 1.7 to 2.5
centimeters wide. Fruit is a hairy and cylindric follicle, 2
to 3 centimeters long.

5. Botanical Description
Catharanthus roseus is native to Indian
Ocean island of Madagascar. In the wild, it is an
endangered plant; the main cause of decline is
habitat destruction by slash-and-burn agriculture.
It is also however widely cultivated and
is naturalized in subtropical and tropical areas of
the world. This herb is now common in many
tropical and subtropical regions worldwide,
including the Philippines.

6. Folkloric Uses and
Preparations
- In the Philippines, decoction of leaves is used to treat
diabetes.
- Decoction of young leaves is used for stomach cramps.
- Root decoction for intestinal parasitism; as
emmenagogue; may produce abortion.
- Infusion of leaves is used for treating menorrhagia.
- Crude leaf extract has anticancer activity.
- Recent use of roots for anticancer applications.
- Roots used for dysentery.

7. Folkloric Uses and
Preparations
-In Madagascar, the bitter and astringent leaves
are used as vomitive; roots are used as
purgative, vermifuge, depurative, hemostatic
and toothache remedy.
-In Orissa, juice of leaves is used as application to wasp stings.
-In Mauritius, infusion of leaves is used for indigestion and dyspepsia.
-In Ayurveda, it is used for diabetes.
-In India, juice of leaves is used for bee stings.
-In India, West Indies, and Nigeria, it is used for diabetes.
-In Cuba and Jamaica, flower extract is used for eyewash in infants.
-In Bahamas, flower decoction is used for asthma.
-In Bermuda, it is used for high blood pressure.
-In Malaysia, plant decoction is used for diabetes, hypertension, insomnia, and
cancer.
-In Indo-China, it is used for dysmenorrhea.

8. Phytochemical
components and their
medicinal uses
Phytochemicals Medicinal Uses
Alkaloids
Hypotension, sedative and possess tranquilizing and anti-
cancerous properties, to relieve muscle pain, depression of the
central nervous system and wasps stings, nose bleed, bleeding
gums, mouth ulcers and sore throats, treatment of the loss of
memory, hypertension, cystitis, gastritis, enteritis, diarrhea and
the raised blood sugar levels, prevention of cancer, cancer
treatment, anti-diabetic, stomachic, etc.

9. Phytochemical
components and their
medicinal uses
Phytochemicals Medicinal Uses
Monoterpenoid indole
alkaloids (MIAs)
cancer chemotherapy; good source of the non-enzymatic
and enzymatic antioxidants; to cure diabetes and high blood pressure
Vinblastine
(vincaleukoblastine)
anti-tumor properties; treatment of acute leukemia and Hodgkin’s
disease; treatment of diabetes, fever, malaria, throat infections, chest
complaints, and regulation of menstrual cycles; used for the treatment
of both malignant and non-malignant diseases and in the platelet and
platelet associated disorders
Vincristine
Vinflunine found to interfere with the division of the cancer cells
Ajmalicine
used for controlling the high blood pressure and other types of the
cardio-vascular disorders
Serpentine

10. Phytochemical
components and their
medicinal uses
Phytochemicals Medicinal Uses
Terpenoid indole
alkaloids (TIAs)
wound healing, analgesic, vasodilatory and hypoglycemic
Catharanthine
found to be effective in leukemia treatment, diabetes,
hypertension and menorrhagia, etc.
Vindoline
anti-cancerous properties; treatment of various types of
lymphoma and leukemia
Reserpine

11. References:
• Scientific Journal: PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF
CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS: A PERSPECTIVE REVIEW, GAJALAKSHMI
S, et al. International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences; ISSN
0975-6299
• http://www.itis.gov/
• http://stuartxchange.com/Tsitsirika.html
• http://www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=2497
• http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-medical-uses-of-
catharanthus-roseus.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharanthus_roseus
• http://conradofontanilla.hubpages.com/hub/Some-Natural-Herbs-
to-Remedy-Diabetes
• http://www.greenpharmacy.info/article.asp?issn=0973-
8258;year=2008;volume=2;issue=3;spage=176;epage=181;aulast=G
oyal