INTRODUCTION:

The number of higher plant species is about 25000 on earth. It is estimated that 35000 to 70000 species have, at one time or another, been used in some cultures for medicinal purposes. One of these is genus Mirabilis which is traditionally used for medicinal purposes. Mirabilis jalapa L. commonly known as Four O'clock plant (Nyctaginaceae) is a perennial herbaceous bushy plant which grows up to 1-meter height and just as wide. It has numerous branches; leaves are Pointed, 5-10cm long which are ovate and cordate. Tubers are large, black carrot shaped that can be a foot or more long. In warmer regions, the roots can weigh up to 40 lb. (18kg.) or more. Stems are swollen at the nodes. Fruits are nut ellipsoid, rugose and single seeded. The fragrant flowers are borne singly or in clusters, and vary from red, magenta, pink, yellow or white, sometimes with more than one colour on the same plant. Bi-colour flowers are also possible. Individual flowers are trumpet shaped, about an inch across at the end and about two inches long. They open in the evening and wilt in the next morning. The plants continue to produce new flowers from late spring till fall. Flowers are subtended by an involucre of 5 ovate, connate bracts, striped or blotched. Perianth is funnel shaped and 5- lobed. Stamens are 3-6 in numbers. Anthocarps are globose and black at maturity. The black seeds are twice the size of pepper corn. The extract of M. jalapa has also been reported to possess various bioactivities, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, protein synthesis inhibition, antimicrobial, antinociceptive, and anti-gonorrhoeal antispasmodic, diuretic, carminative, cathartic, hydragogues, purgative, stomachic, tonic, and vermifuge properties. Several constituents have been isolated from the root and aerial parts of this plant, including some rotenoids, an isoquinoline derivate, terpenoids, steroids, phenolic compounds, d-glucoside, ursolic acid, mirabalisoic acid, trigonelline, an antiviral protein, alanine, alphaamyrins, arabinose, beta amyrin, campesterol, daucosterol and dopamine.^1–5Nowadays natural products have long been recognized as an important source of therapeutically effective medicines.⁶

Synonyms⁷

The synonyms of Mirabilis jalapa are; M. dechotoma Lin. (In Brazil), M. dechotoma Lin. and M. longiflora Lin. (In tropical America), M. lindheimeri Lin. and M. odorata Lin.

Taxonomic classification^7,8

Kingdom: Plantae

Sub kingdom: Tracheobionta

Division: Angiosperms

Class: Dicotyledons

Subclass: Caryophylidae

Order: Caryophyllales

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Genus: Mirabilis

Species: Jalapa

Common Vernacular Names^2,7,8

1. Bengal- Krishnakeli, Sarpamani, Sandhyamaloti.

2. Gujrati- Gubbaji.

3. Hindi- Gul-abbas.

4. Sanskrit - Krishnakeli, Sandhykali.

5. Tamil- Andhimalligai, Andhimandhaarai, Antinaralu, Patharachi.

6. Andhra Pradesh: Chandrakantha

7. Karnataka: Sanje mallige

8. Kerala: Naalumani

9. Brazil: Marvel

10. China: Xizao hua

11. France: Belle de nuit

12. Hebrew: Lilanit RavGonit

13. Indonesia: Bunga pukul empat

Geographical Distribution:

Mirabilis jalapa Linn. (Family Nyctaginaceae) was officially botanically recorded in 1753 although it already had long been distributed as an ornamental plant throughout the tropics of the world. This plant is naturalized throughout the tropics of South America, Latin America, France and India. In Brazil the plant is known as clavillia, maravilha, or bonina; in Peru it is known as jalapa or maravilla. Hybrids of clavillia can be found in nurseries throughout the U.S. where they are sold as ornamental landscape plants In India, grows mainly in West Bengal, Manipur, and Western Himalayas.⁹

Morphology:

Mirabilis jalapa Linn. usually grows 0.6 to 0.9m tall and just as wide. Leaves are pointed; flowers usually open from late afternoon onwards, hence the first of its common names. Flowers in groups of three, flowers with five green bracelets; surround the perianth; usually yellow; crimson, white or variegated and opening in the evening. Perianth lobes are five, gamophyllous, stamens five with unequal filaments. Carpel one, unilocular, superior ovary with a single ovule, a nectariferous disc surrounds the ovary. Fruit achene surrounded by a leathery, ribbed, persistent perianth. The self-compatible, the perfect flowers, each has 5 to 6 stamens and a single- ovule ovary. Fruits are coriaceous obovoid and roots are prominent tuberous. The single-seeded fruits are spherical, wrinkled, and black upon maturity, having started out greenish-yellow.²

Plant’s part	Morphological features
*Seeds*	Olive, brown or black in color.
*Flowers*	Tubular, cluster, funnel-shaped, single or double, fragrant, color usually purple and white, yellow or pink, arranged in group three flowers with five green bracteols, surrounding the perianth, usually yellow crimson, white or variegated and opening in the evening.
*Roots*	Perennial tuberous roots, fairly thickened, stem swollen at nodes
*Leaves*	Opposite, 3.5-7.5 cm wide, 5-10 cm long, unequal, ovate to sub cordate.

Phytochemistry:

Aerial parts: The aerial parts of Mirabilis jalapa Linn containg various phytoconstituents like Triterpenes, flavonoids, Beta-sitosterol, Stigmasterol, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid and brassicasterolare.^10,11

Leaves:

The Mirabilis jalapa Linn leaves contain Flavonoids, quercetin, D-pinitol, an o-methyl inositol present, C-glycosyl flavonoid Tricosan-12-one, n-hexacosanal, β- sitosterol, tetracosanoic acid tartaric acid, citric acid, leucuine, valine, tryptophan, alanine and glycine polyphenolic amide N-trans-feruloyl-4'- O-methyldopamine.^12–14

Flowers:

The various phytoconstituents isolated from flowers like Miraxanthins I-III, indicaxanthin, Miraxanthins IV, vulgoxanthin Iand Betaxanthins.¹⁵

Seeds:

A fatty acid found in seed oil as 8- hydroxy-octadeca-cis-11, 14-dienoic acid. Arginine, glycine, histidine, threonine, tyrosine, asparatic acid and glutamic acid. Other phytoconstituents isolated from Seed like D-glucan, a polysaccharide from seeds cotyledons was reported to contain 38 glycosyl units. β-sitosterol, β-amyrin, β-sitosterol-D-glucoside and β-amyrin-3-O-α-L-rhamnosyl-O-β-D-glucoside.^13–15

Stems:

The aqueous and methanolic extract of stem shows the presence of large number of alkaloids, carbohydrates, tannins, unsaturated hydrocarbon and flavonoids.¹³

Roots:

The roots contain 3% resin, trigonelline, astragaloside-VI, flazin, 4'-hydroxy-2,3-dihydroflavone-7- beta-D-glucopyranoside, ginger glycolipid-A, 3,4- dihydroxybenzaldehyde, p- hydroxybenzaldehyde, β-sitosterol, daucosterol and Stigmasterol, proteins, rotenoids mirabijalone A, B, C, 9-O-methyl-4- hydroxyboeravinone-B, boervinone-C and F. 1, 2, 3, 4- teterahydro-1-methyl isoquionoline-7, 8-di-diol, alkaloids, glycosides, carbohydrates, and phytosterols.^10,11,16,17

Pharmacological activities:

Antioxidant and cytotoxic activity:

The aqueous, ethanolic and hexane extracts of tubers, seed epicarp extract, bark, shows anti-oxidant activity. Methanolic extract exhibits anti-oxidant potential on both roots and aerial parts.^5,18,19 Methanolic extract of leaves exhibits significant anti-oxidant, anti-microbial and anti-fungal activity. The petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol crude extracts of the different plant parts (leaves root and bark) showed cytotoxic activity.²⁰

Antidiabetic activity:

In this Study the ethanolic extract of root shows antidiabetic activity. The anti-diabetic activity of an ethanolic extract of the root of Mirabilis jalapa which is widely being used in Himalayan region as a traditional treatment for diabetic mellitus. Ethanolic extract of Mirabilis jalapa (EEMJ) (10mg/kg & 20mg/kg) were administered as a single dose per day to the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats for 12 days.21

Anti-viral activity:

M. jalapa extracts alleviated the multiplication of the Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) by 50% when added to the inoculums M. jalapa is known to be host to two viruses: Parietaria mottle virus and mirabilis mosaic virus.²²

Anti-Microbial:

In this Study the Activity Alcoholic extract of leaf showed anti-microbial effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus areas and Bacillus subtilis.^23–25

In this Study they evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of Mirabilis jalapa against biofilm and extended spectrum of beta lactamase (ESBL) producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Aqueous, acetone and ethanol extracts of leaves of M. jalapa were tested for antimicrobial activity invitro by the agar well diffusion method. Ethanol extract of M. jalapa leaves exhibited antimicrobial activity against all tested biofilm producing UPEC strains, whereas it inhibited only the ESBL producing UPEC strains 42 and 96. Similarly, the acetone extract of M. jalapa leaves inhibited the growth of biofilm producing UPEC strains 1, 17 and 82, whereas it inhibited only the ESBL producing UPEC strains 42 and 96. These antimicrobial properties seem to be related to the presence of alkaloids, tri-terpenoids and tannin contents in M. jalapa. The present study shows that crude extracts of M. jalapa sespecially the acetone and ethanol extracts exhibited significant activity against biofilm and ESBL producing Uropathogenic E. coli strains.²⁶

The nanoparticle synthesis by using Mirabilis jalapa extract was found highly active against tested bacterial species at a concentration of 20 µl than 10 µl concentration. The results showed higher antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumonia.²⁷

Antifungal activity:

The Methanol extracts showed antifungal activities against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans and Daedalea flavida.²⁸

Anti-inflammatory activity:

In this Study they evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extract of Mirabilis jalapa Linn. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan and formalin-induced paw edema models in Wistar albino rats. The anti-inflammatory activity was found to be dose dependent in carrageenan-induced paw edema model. The aqueous extract has shown significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of paw oedema, 37.5% and 54.0% on 4^th hour at the doses of 200 and 400mg/kg, respectively. Similar pattern of paw edema inhibition was seen in formalin-induced paw edema model. The maximum percentage inhibition in paw edema was 32.9% and 43.0% on 4^th day at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively. The results of this study showed that aqueous extract of the leaves possess significant (P < 0.05) anti-inflammatory potential.²⁹

In this Study the total alcoholic extract and successive petroleum ether fractions of leaves of Mirabilis jalapa Linn were screened for its anti-inflammatory activity using carageenan induced rat paw edema and cotton pellet induced granuloma models. The total alcoholic extract at the dose of 300 mg/kg p.o and successive petroleum ether fraction at the dose of 200 mg/kg exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan induced paw edema model (p<0.01). In cotton pellet granuloma model, the total alcoholic extract at the dose of 300 mg/kg and successive petroleum ether fraction at the dose of 200 mg/kg inhibited granuloma formation significantly (p<0.05) indicating that both test samples inhibit the increase in number of fibroblasts and synthesis of collagen and mucopolysaccharides during granuloma tissue formation during the chronic inflammation. These experimental results have established a pharmacological evidence for the folklore claim of the drug to be used as an anti-inflammatory agent.³⁰

Anthelmintic activity:

In this Study validating ethnomedicinal claims for its use as an anthelmintic. Preliminary phytochemical studies of the methanolic extract of leaves and aerial parts revealed presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, tannins, flavonoids etc. The methanolic extract of leaves and aerial parts of Mirabillis jalapa L. has shown anthelmintic activity on earth worm Phertima prosthuma in a dose dependent manner. Concentration of 30 mg/ml has taken less time to cause paralysis, and little more time to cause death of earthworms which is comparable with Standard Drug Albendazole of 10 mg/ml concentration.³¹

In this Study the results shows that methanolic extract possess vermicidal activity and found to be effective as an anthelmintic.³²

Anti-tubercular activity:

Studies were carried on the anti-tubercular activity of Mirabilis jalapa. It was deduced that Mirabilis jalapa Linn. Leaves show a protective effect on hepatotoxicity induced by anti-tubercular drugs.³³

Analgesic and Muscle Relaxant Activity:

It is reported that ethanolic extract of the leaves of Mirabilis jalapa has analgesic and muscle relaxant activity on Swiss albino mice. ³⁴

Anti-asthmatic Activity:

It is reported that ethanol and acetone root extract have antiasthmatic activity using a guinea pig tracheal chain preparation and clonidine-induced mast cell granulation in mice.³⁵

CONCLUSION:

Mirabilis jalapa is a valuable source of medicinally beneficial compounds commonly used for various ailments. In various research extracts from Mirabilis jalapa plant showed good source for the therapeutic compounds. Therefore, plants studied here can be a potential source of useful drugs, if they are involved in further research. Scientific research on Mirabilis jalapa indicates this it has significant biological potential.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT:

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Someshwar Mankar for their valuable guidance for this review work.

REFERENCES:

1. Chetty K, Sivaji K RK. Flowering Plants of Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Stud Offset Print Tirupati India; 2008.

2. Kurian JC, Mutatkar RK SE. Plants That Heal. 1st Ed.; 2003.

3. Devi SL, Sunny M, Janaipriya N, Nagamani S BT, Al VS et. Pharmacognostical and Phytochemical Studies of Mirabilis jalapa Linn. South Asian Journal of Biological Sciences. 2011;1(1):1-6.

4. Irena S, Phyllis GW, Abdullah G, Yehudit T SS. Phytoplasma infection in the four o’clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa). Bull Insectol. 2007;60(2):281-301.

5. Aher A.N., Bhagure Kavita, Malode Sunanda BS. Pharmacognostic, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Investigation on Leaf and Root of Mirabilis jalapa Linn (Nyctaginaceae). Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res. 2016;40(2):132-136.

6. Manju V, Revathi R, Murugesan M. Activity and Phytochemical Analysis of Indian Medicinal Spices. 2018;4(April):21-23.

7. RozinaRozina. Pharmacological and biological activities of Mirabilis jalapa L. International Journal of Pharmacological Research. 2019;09(05):160-168. doi:10.7439/ijpr

8. Ali Esmail Al-Snafi, Tayseer Ali Talab, Wajdi M. Jabbar, Ali M. Alqahtani. Chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Mirabilis jalapa- A review. International Journal of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences Archive. 2021;1(2):034-045. doi:10.30574/ijbpsa.2021.1.2.0303

9. Nidavani RB, AM M. an Ethanopharmacological Review of Four O’ Clock Flower Plant (Mirabilis Jalapa Linn.). Journal of Biological & Scientific Opinion. 2014;2(6):344-348. doi:10.7897/2321-6328.02679

10. Siddiqui S, Siddiqui BS, Adil Q BS. Constituents of Mirabilis jalapa. Fitoterapia. 1990;61(5).

11. Siddiqui BS, Adil Q, Begum S SS. Terpenoids and steroids of the aerial parts of Mirabilis jalapa Linn. Pakistan Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research. 1994;37:108-110.

12. Index TM. An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs and Biologicals. 13th ed. Merck Research Laboratories; 2001.

13. Michalet S, Cartier G, David B, Mariotte A-M, Dijouxfranca M-G KG et al. N-caffeoylphenalkylamide derivatives as bacterial efflux pump inhibitors. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters. 2007;17(6):1755-1758.

14. RL B. Pinitol is a major carbohydrate in leaves of some coastal plants indigenous to New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany. 1994;32(1):73-38.

15. Dimayuga RE, Virgen M ON. Antimicrobial Activity of Medicinal Plants from Baja California Sur (Mexico). Pharmaceutical Biology. 1998;36(1):33-43.

16. Shaaban M, Schroder D, Shaaban KA, Helmke E, GrünWollny I WDI et al. Flazin, Perlolyrin, and other ß-Carbolines from marine derived Bacteria. Revista Latinoamericana de Quimica. 2007;35(6):58-67.

17. Wang XH DJ. Antioxidant Activities of Mirabilis jalapa L. Seed Epicarp Extract. In Advanced Materials Research. Published online 2012:550-553.

18. Hajji M, Jarraya RM, Lassoued I, Masmoudi O, Damak M, Nasri M. GC/MS and LC/MS analysis, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of various solvent extracts from Mirabilis jalapa tubers. Process Biochemistry. 2010;45:1486-1493.

19. Rumzhum NN, Rahman MM, Islam MS, Chowdhury SA, Sultana R, Parvin MostN. Cytotoxicity and Antioxidant Activity of Extractives from Mirabilis jalapa. Stamford Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 1970;1(1):85-88. doi:10.3329/sjps.v1i1.1814

20. OladunmoyeM. K. Antioxidant , free radical scavenging capacity and antimicrobial activities of Mirabilis jalapa. In: ; 2012.

21. Piyali Sarkar AKM and JPM. ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF MIRABILIS JALAPA ROOTS. 2011;3(1):1470-1479.

22. Vivanco JM, Querci M, Salazar LF. Antiviral and Antiviroid Activity of MAP-Containing Extracts from Mirabilis jalapa Roots. Plant disease. 1999;83(12):1116-1121. doi:10.1094/PDIS.1999.83.12.1116

23. Agunbiade SO. Antimicrobial evaluation and phytochemical analysis of leaf extracts of Mirabilis jalapa against some human pathogenic bacteria. In: ; 2011.

24. Dimayuga RE, Virgen M, Ochoa N. Antimicrobial Activity of Medicinal Plants from Baja California Sur (México). Pharmaceutical Biology. 1998;36(1):33-43. doi:10.1076/phbi.36.1.33.4625

25. Kusamba C, Byamana K, Mbuyi WM. Antibacterial activity of Mirabilis jalapa seed powder. Journal of ethnopharmacology. 1991;35(2):197-199. doi:10.1016/0378-8741(91)90073-m

26. P. Poovendran. Antimicrobial activity of Mirabilis Jalapa and Dichrotachys cinerea against biofilm and extended spectrum of beta lactamase (ESBL) producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli. African Journal of Microbiology Research. 2011;5(22). doi:10.5897/ajmr11.116

27. Asha S, Thirunavukkarasu P, Rajeshkumar S. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Mirabilis jalapa aqueous extract and their antibacterial activity against respective microorganisms. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2017;10(3):811-817. doi:10.5958/0974-360X.2017.00153.6

28. Mohammed MT. Study of Some Mirabilis jalapa L . Leaves Components and Effect of Their Extracts on Growth of Pathogenic bacteria. In: ; 2013.

29. Singh M, Kumar V, Singh I, Gauttam V, Kalia AN. Anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extract of Mirabilis jalapa Linn. leaves. Pharmacognosy research. 2010;2(6):364-367. doi:10.4103/0974-8490.75456

30. Nath LR, Manjunath KP, Savadi R v, Akki KS. Anti-inflammatory activity of mirabilis jalapa linn. Leaves. Journal of basic and clinical pharmacy. 2010;1(2):93-96.

31. Deb NK, Deb J, Saha S, Maity S. Anthelmintic activity on Mirabilis jalapa L ., ( Nyctaginaceae ). 2020;8(2):19-21.

32. Zachariah S, Aleykutty NA, Jayakar B, Viswanad V, Gopal R v. In vitro anthelmintic activity of aerial parts of Mirabilis jalapa Linn. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research. 2012;12:107-110.

33. Jyothi B, Mohanalakshmi S, Anitha K. Protective effect of Mirabilis Jalapa leaves on anti-tubercular drugs induced hepatotoxicity. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research. 2013;6(SUPPL.3):221-224.

34. Bharali D, Saha D. Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Evaluation of Analgesic and Muscle Relaxant Activity of the Ethanolic Extract of the Leaves of Mirabilis Jalapa. International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical Research. 2017;9(5):81-84. doi:10.22159/ijcpr.2017v9i5.22144

35. Maxia A, Sanna C, Salve B, Kasture A, Kasture S. Inhibition of histamine mediated responses by Mirabilis jalapa: confirming traditional claims made about antiallergic and antiasthmatic activity. Natural product research. 2010;24(18):1681-1686. doi:10.1080/14786410802632804

Received on 21.02.2022 Modified on 12.03.2022

Research J. Science and Tech. 2022; 14(2):105-110.

DOI: 10.52711/2349-2988.2022.00017