This is a presentation of my Bsc. final year.

1. Biodiversity of Periwinkle
“Catharanthus roseus”
AratrikaRoy
6th Semester, 3rd Year
BSc.(H) Biotechnology
Roll No.21008217034
REGN. No.172102410005 of 2017-2018
INSTITUTEOF GENETICENGINEERING

2. Genovoyage’19
Maharashtra & Goa, 12-23 October’19

3. Maharashtra & Goa
Location

4. Maharastra & Goa
Land area : Maharashtra is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a
substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau, it covers 307700 km² of land. Goa is a state on the
south-western coast of India within the region known as the Konkan, and geographically
separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats, it covers 3702 km² of land.
Literacy : Literacy rate in Maharashtra is 82.34 percent and in Goa is 88.70 percent as per
2011 population census.
Climate : Maharashtra has typical monsoon climate, with hot, rainy and cold weather seasons.
Tropical conditions prevail all over the state, and even the hill stations are not that cold. Dew,
frost, hail can also be happened sometimes according to the seasonal weather. Goa's climate is
tropical, hot all year round, with a long and sunny season, which runs roughly from mid-
October to mid-May, and a rainy season due to the south-west monsoon
City : Maharastra : Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Lonavla, Matheran, Shirdi etc.
Goa : Vasco Da Gama, Baga, Calangute, Candolim, Margao, Mormugao etc.

5. What is
biodiversity?
Biodiversity is defined as “the variability
among living organisms from all sources
including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and
other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological
complexes of which they are part; this
includes diversity within species, between
species and of ecosystems.”

6. Levels of
biodiversity
There are 3 levels of biodiversity. They are,
i) Ecological Biodiversity :
The diversity of ecological complex and biotic communities found in a
given area.
ii) Speices Biodiversity :
It refers to the variety of species in a region.
iii) Genetic Biodiversity :
The diversity of basic units of hereditary information (genes) which are
passed down the generations found in a region.

7. Flora of Maharashtra &
Goa

8. Fauna of Maharashtra & Goa

9. MatheranLocation : Matheran is a hill station and a municipal council in Karjat Tahsil in the Raigad district in the
Indian state of Maharashtra. Matheran is one of the smallest hill stations in India. It consists 7 km2
(3 sq mi) of area.
Geography : Geographically the rock types are solely composed of Deccan trap with inter trappeans of
Cretaceous, Eoceuerage and laterites of still younger age. The rock is basalt, which has given rise to
secondary alteration known as laterite. The laterite almost covers the hilltops. The topmost layer of rock
is a soft porous iron-clay.
Wildlife : The town also has a large monkey population, including bonnet macaques and Hanuman
langurs Inside the forest animals like barking deer, Malabar giant squirrel, fox, wild boar, mongoose may
be found.
Speciality : There are around 38 designated viewpoints in Matheran, including the Panorama Point that
provides a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. Louisa Point,One Tree Hill Point, Heart Point,
Monkey Point, Porcupine Point, and Rambagh Point are there. Matheran, which means "forest on the
forehead" (of the mountains) is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change, Government of India. It is Asia's only automobile-free hill station.

10. The Karnala Bird Sanctuary is located in Panvel Taluka of Raigad
District, outside Mumbai, India near Matheran and Karjat. The
sanctuary is quite small with an area of 12.11 square kilometres but
along with the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Tungareshwar
sanctuary.
The sanctuary is also home to 114 species of butterflies.The Karnala
fort is located on the top of the hill in the sanctuary. It is about 1hr.
medium hard trek to Karnala fort. There was a sighting of a leopard
at Karnala.

11. Periwinkle
(Catharanthus roseus)

12. Species
Introduction
• Periwinkle is commonly known as bright eyes, Cape periwinkle, graveyard plant,
Madagascar periwinkle, old maid, church-flower, ram-goat rose, "myrtle," and
magdalena plant.
• It is formerly included in the genus Vinca as Vinca rosea.
• It is familiar in native names like Sadafuli,Sadabahar,Baramasi(hindi),
Nayantara(Bengali),Nityakalyani (Sanskrit Ayurveda)
• It is a popular ornamental plant found in gardens and homes across the world,
and is used in the treatment of cancer.
• It is a popular ornamental plant found in gardens and homes across the warmer
parts of the world. It is also known as the source of chemical compounds used in
the treatment of cancer. Their discovery led to one of the most important
medical breakthroughs of the twentieth century.

13. ScientificClassificationof
Periwinkle
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Catharanthus
Species: C. roseus

14. Distribution
Madagascar periwinkle is indigenous to Madagascar, but
is cultivated and naturalised throughout the tropics and
parts of the subtropics.

15. Conservation status
Commensal population of Catharanthus roseus are generally stable and
densities can be as high as 10 plants per square metre. In the wild the
population is less stable, and densities can be less than 5 plants per
square metre. Overall, the population is flourishing, besides, in the
urban area, this population is aided by human as ornamental plant.

16. • The name Catharanthus comes from the Greek for "pure
flower“.
• A tender, perennial plant which grows as a herb or subshrub
sprawling along the ground or standing erect (30 cm to 1 m in
height).Like many other plants in the Apocynaceae family, the
sap is a milky latex.
• Flowers: It has attractive white or pink (introduced colours are
blue red orange purple) flowers comprising five petals spreading
from a long, tubular throat.
• Leaves: The leathery, dark or glossy green, hairless, oval to
oblong leaves are arranged in opposite pairs with a pale midrib
and a short petiole .
• Fruits: Each fruit is made up of two narrow, cylindrical follicles.
• Seeds : numerous grooved seeds rest in the follicles.
• Sap : the sap of this plant has the consistency of a thick and
toxic milky white latex.
Physical Description

17. Lifespan & Habitat
• The Periwinkle is a perennial plant that is very prevalent in areas that
are tropical to sub-tropical. However, in areas that are more moderate,
the periwinkle is considered an annual, due to the frosty conditions of
the fall.
• Catharanthus roseus, does an excellent job tolerating the hot
temperatures of the summer, and is also able to bear the extremes of
drought and heavy rainfall.
• it has now become an ornamental plant grown in flowerbeds, serving as
a great boarder plant in Asia, Australia, Southern Europe.

18. Reproduction
• The flowers are adapted to
pollination by a long-
tongued insect, such as a
moth or butterfly.
• his species is also able to
self-pollinate.
• Its seeds have been seen to
be distributed by ants.
Dried fruit and SeedsMature fruit releasing their seeds
Seeds under microscope Seeds

19. Cultivation
• Self-compatibility and a relatively high tolerance to disturbance
have enabled the plant to spread from cultivation and to become
naturalised in many parts of the world.
• As an ornamental plant, it is appreciated for its hardiness in dry
and nutritionally deficient conditions, popular in subtropical
gardens where temperatures never fall below 5–7 °C (41–45 °F),
and as a warm-season bedding plant in temperate gardens.
• It is noted for its long flowering period, throughout the year in
tropical conditions, and from spring to late autumn, in warm
temperate climates. Numerous cultivars have been selected, for
variation in flower colour (white, mauve, peach, scarlet and
reddish-orange), and also for tolerance of cooler growing
conditions in temperate regions.
• Notable cultivars include 'Albus' (white flowers), 'Grape Cooler'
(rose-pink; cool-tolerant), the Ocellatus Group (various colours),
and 'Peppermint Cooler' (white with a red centre; cool-tolerant)

20. Ecology
• The plant grows best in hot conditions- full sun, heat, and high humidity.
Coastal habitats and sandy locations along the coast, but is also found inland on
riverbanks, savanna vegetation, dry waste places, roadsides, open forest and
scrubland, usually on sandy soils, but sometimes also on rocky soils.
• It is also found on sand and limestone soils in woodland, forest, grassland, and
disturbed areas.
• Periwinkles are of two types - Foliage periwinkle (which often grows wild on
cliffs) and Annual periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus).In the wild, C. roseus is an
endangered plant. The main cause of decline is habitat destruction by slash and
burn agriculture.

21. More related
species
• Catharanthus coriaceus– Madagascar
• Catharanthus lanceus – Madagascar
• Catharanthus longifolius – Madagascar
• Catharanthus ovalis – Madagascar
• Catharanthus pusillus – India, Sri Lanka, Western Himalayas
• Catharanthus scitulus – Madagascar
• Catharanthus trichophyllus – Madagascar. It is also known as
Sadabahar or Baramasi In India.
• Vinca major – southern Europe, Turkey, Syria
• Vinca minor – central and southeastern Europe, Ukraine, Caucasus

22. Diversity
Some original and endemic species of
Madagascar…

23. Diversity
More Endemic species…

24. Diversity
Both endemic and introduced species are
here…

25. Diversity
They are introduced
species…

26. Importance and Use
• As Ornamental plant
• Role in Ayurveda (as Herbal Medicine)
• Role in treatment of some life threatening diseases
• Role in Plant pathology
• Chemical constituent in Periwinkle

27. Periwinkle
as
Ornamental Plant
The species has long been cultivated as an ornamental
plant for its beauty of simplicity.

28. Periwinkle in
Ayurveda
• Periwinkle is widely cultivated as herbal medicine as In Ayurvedic
medicine itsleaves, seeds, flowers and the roots are used for treatment
of diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer and menorrhagia.
• It is also effective in leukemia so called “raktarbuda” in ayurveda.
• According to principles of Ayurveda, this plant increases dryness of
tissues and is light to digest.

29. Lifesaving Treatments With
Periwinkle
• Many of the vinca alkaloids were first isolated from Catharanthus roseus, including
vinblastine and vincristine used in the treatment of leukemia and Hodgkin's
lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, malignant lymphomas, mycosis fungoides,
neuroblastoma, and Wilm's tumor.
• Periwinkle might decrease blood sugar. anti-diabetic and hypoglycemic properties of
periwinkle leaves are found. It can naturally reduce Type 2 diabetes. It is said
soldiers of world wars were treated with periwinkle because of this property.
• Vinpocetine is a chemical derived from vincamine alkaloid, which is found in the
leaves of common periwinkle and It is used as a treatment for memory loss and
mental impairment. It has shown some benefit to people who were associated with
Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.

30. Here are some more…
• Fluid retention.
• Cough.
• Lung congestion.
• Sore throat.
• Eye irritation
• Skin infections
• Stopping bleeding
• Relieving insect or wasp poison
• Vascular dementia
• Gastritis, desentery, diarrhea
• Has diuretic property
• Has sedative and tranquilizing properties.
• Eases stress and anxiety
• Stimulates better circulation
• Helps in keeping your heart safe
• Oral sores
• Irregular menstruation
• External Bleeding
• Piles
• Remedy for nasal and mouth
bleeding
• Enhances Memory

31. Periwinkle in Plant
Pathology
• C. roseus is used in plant pathology as an experimental host
for phytoplasmas.
• This is because it is easy to infect with a large majority of
phytoplasmas, and also often has very distinctive symptoms
such as phyllody and significantly reduced leaf size.

32. Chemical Constituents of Periwinkle
• It contains carbohydrate, flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids. There are 400 of alkaloids
present in this plant.
• The alkaloids present are – Vinblastin, Vincrestine, Vindesine, Vindeline (in aerial
parts), Ajmalicine, Vinceine, Vineamine, Reserpine, Raubasin, Catharanthine (in basal
stem).
• Vinblastine and vincristine, chemotherapy medications used to treat several types of
cancers, are found in the plant and are biosynthesised from the coupling of the alkaloids
catharanthine and vindoline.
• The newer semi-synthetic chemotherapeutic agent vinorelbine, used in the treatment of
non-small-cell lung cancer, can be prepared either from vindoline and catharanthine or
from the vinca alkaloid leurosine,in both cases via anhydrovinblastine.
• Rosinidin is the pink anthocyanidin pigment found in the flowers of C. roseus.

33. Toxicity
• Periwinkle, especially the sap of it is potentially and
dangerously toxic for human.
• It can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting,
hair loss, hearing loss, dizziness, bleeding, nerve
problems, seizures, liver damage, low blood sugar,
misscarriage and even death.
• It been known to cause acute dyspnea.

34. • The predators are quite less as its sap is toxic.
• The excessive number of these plant might misbalance the ecology,
the herbivore animals fall ill or die due to the poison carrying by
periwinkle.
• Though commonly found near habitation, this species is also
regarded as an environmental weed (in Western Australia).
• It is most abundant and troublesome in eastern Queensland. For
example, it is abundant on Magnetic Island in northern Queensland.
Predation, Trouble and Abundance

35. Conclusio
n• Periwinkle is a plant we, the natives of tropical
countries, observe everywhere from careless
roadsides to pampered gardens,. Little did we
know about this cute, simple and beautiful plant
has such extraordinary contributions in nature’s
own health department and in such aesthetic
manner.
• Research upon this little plant is ongoing in our
country and we are hopeful about its attributes
will fulfil our developing fields more and more
and more.
• This little plant showed us the accurate example
of the famous saying of Abraham Lincoln,
“The small things of life were often so much bigger
than the great things!”
Herbarium of Periwinkle

36. Reference
s• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharanthus_roseus
• https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-
637/madagascar-periwinkle
• https://www.drugs.com/npc/periwinkle.html
• https://www.planetayurveda.com/periwinkle/
• https://www.ayurvedicindia.info/periwinkle-plant/
• http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77880-
1#uses
• http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/catharanth
us_roseus.html
• https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/madagascar-periwinkle/

37. Acknowledgement
I am thankful to our honourable principal
Dr. Amit Chakraborty and Dr. Sudipa
Chakraborty for being a constant
inspiration. I also thank our respected
faculties for their exquisite advices.