Catharanthus roseus

Scientific name: Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don

Synonym: Vinca rosea L.

Synonym 2: Lochnera rosea (L.) Rchb. ex Endl.

Botanical family: APOCYNACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Honduras:

guajaca

Cuba:

vicaria
vicaria blanca

Other vernacular names

Honduras:

guajaca

vicaria
vicaria blanca

Geographical distribution

Native to Madagascar, widely cultivated and naturalised in the tropical regions.

Botanical description

Herbaceous or subshrub of up to 80 cm, with milky white latex. Opposite obovate, elliptic or oblong leaves, 3 to 7 cm long. Sessile flowers, white or pink, with 5 petals joined by the base forming a tube with free lobes, solitary or in groups in the axils of the leaves. Trilobular fruit, pubescent, containing 2 to 3 black seeds, about 0.5 cm in diameter.

Voucher(s)

L.R.Soberats,TR90-06,CIFMT
Fuentes,4757,ROIG

conjunctivitis

flower, decoction, compresses^1-2,21

For conjunctivitis:

Prepare a decoction with 3-4 fresh white flowers in 2 cups (½ litre) of water, boil for 5 minutes in a covered vessel. Cool and apply to the affected eye for 5-10 minutes using a cotton compress; repeat 2-3 times a day.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for conjunctivitis is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the toxicity and validation studies and the scientific information published.

All applications in the eyes must follow the strictest hygiene measures, in order to prevent contamination or additional infection and to avoid contact with substances that can irritate to the conjunctiva.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or the conjunctivitis persists for more than 3 days, seek medical attention.

Avoid ingestion of any part of the plant because of the risk of toxicity.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children under 12 years.

TRAMIL Work¹³
The aqueous extracts (decoction, 20%, 20 minutes) from white flowers, fresh or dry (0.1 ml) topically in rabbits, 6 New Zealand males in the Draize ophthalmic irritability model, in the conjunctival fornix, were not irritant in eyes.

The hydroalcoholic leaf extract (95%, 75 mg/kg) orally in male rats, showed a general toxic effect¹⁷.

Ingestion of the whole plant showed toxic effects in humans¹⁸.

There is no information available documenting the safety of use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The flower contains: alkaloids: zeatin⁴; indole alkaloids: ajmalicine, tetrahydroalstonine⁵, apparicine⁶, carosine, catharicine, leurocristine⁷, coronaridine⁸, catharanthine, serpentine, vindoline⁹; flavonoids: hirsutidin, malvidin¹⁰; and molecules of terpenic nature: limonene, α-bisabolol, methyl jasmonate, cis-jasmone, 2-phenylethanol, phenylacetaldehyde, trans-2-octene, benzyl alcohol and 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine¹¹.

The leaf has alkaloids: vinblastine¹⁰, catharanthine and vindoline¹².

TRAMIL Work¹³
The aqueous extract (20% decoction) from fresh white flowers (0.1 ml) topically in rabbits at the bottom of the conjunctival fornix, model of discrete ocular irritation induced by prior rubbing of the eye for 60 seconds, significantly decreased the irritation; the dry flower extract showed less effect.

The aqueous extract of the whole plant was weakly active in vitro as an antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus¹⁴.

The aqueous plant extract (part not specified in the publication) was active in vitro against Escherichia coli, Enterobacter faecalis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella typhi and S. paratyphi¹⁵.

Benzenic extract from the dried flowers and leaves at 5% was active against Proteus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Shigella spp. and Staphylococcus spp.¹⁶.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 CARBALLO A, 1990
Encuesta TRAMIL. Centro de investigación de fitoterapia y medicina tradicional de Topes de Collantes, Trinidad, Cuba.

2 LAGOS-WITTE S, 1988-89, 1996
Encuesta TRAMIL. Laboratorio de Histología Vegetal y Etnobotánica, Dep. de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras UNAH, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

3 MOREJON Z, LOPEZ M, GARCIA MJ, BOUCOURT E, VICTORIA M, FUENTES V, MORON F, BOULOGNE I, ROBINEAU L, 2009
Encuesta TRAMIL preliminar a grupos de vecinos en los municipios 10 de Octubre, Lisa, Marianao, Habana del Este (Cojímar) en la Ciudad de la Habana. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba.

4 DAVEY JE, VAN STADEN J, DE LEEUW GTN, 1981
Endogenous cytokinin levels and development of flower virescence in Catharanthus roseus infected with mycoplasmas. Physiol Plant Pathol 19:193-200.

5 ALI I, 1990
The alkaloids in flowers of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. Gomal Univ J Res 10(1):27-31.

6 ROJAS MCN, CUELLAR MCA, 1981
Comparative microbiological studies of the alkaloids of Catharanthus roseus and other related compounds. Rev Cubana Farm 15(2):131-138.

7 WILLAMAN JJ, LI HL, 1970
Alkaloid-bearing plants and their contained alkaloids, 1957-1968. Lloydia 33S(1):1-286.

8 ATTA-UR-RAHMAN, ALI I, BASHIR M, 1984
Isolation and structural studies on the alkaloids in flowers of Catharanthus roseus. J Nat Prod 47(3):554-555.

9 SEVESTRE-RIGOUZZO M, NEF-CAMPA C, GHESQUIERE A, CHRESTIN H, 1992-1993
Genetic diversity and alkaloid production in Catharanthus roseus, C. trichophyllus
and their hybrids. Euphytica 66(1/2):151-159.

10 MILO J, 1981
Flower color inheritance and shoot and ajmalicine yield components in successive developmental stages of pure lines and F-1 hybrids in Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. Thesis-MS-Hebrew University.

11 DE PINHO PG, GONÇALVES RF, VALENTÃO P, PEREIRA DM, SEABRA RM, ANDRADE PB, SOTTOMAYOR M, 2009
Volatile composition of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. J Pharm Biomed Anal 49(3):674-685.

12 LARA G, LASTRA H, 1991
Determinación de vinblastina en el follaje de Catharanthus roseus G. Don. Rev Cubana Farm 25(1):56-62.

13 GARCIA G, GARCIA R, 1987
Efectos sobre las estructuras oculares de la decocción de flores de vicaria blanca. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio de Control Biológico, Industria Médico-Farmacéutica, La Habana, Cuba.

14 NEOGI N, BHATIA M, 1956
Biological investigation of Vinca rosea. Indian J Pharmacy 18:73.

15 SRINIVASAN D, NATHAN S, SURESH T, LAKSHMANA PERUMALSAMY P, 2001
Antimicrobial activity of certain Indian medicinal plants used in folkloric medicine. J of Ethnopharmacol 74(3):217-220.

16 ROJAS M, CUELLAR M, 1981
Comparative microbiological studies of the alkaloids of Catharanthus roseus and other related compounds. Rev Cubana Farm 15(2):131-138.

17 CHAUHAN S, AGRAWAL S, MATHUR R, GUPTA RK, 1979
Phosphatase activity in testis and prostate of rats treated with embelin and Vinca rosea extract. Experientia 35(9):1183-1185.

18 WEE Y, GOPALAKRISHNAKONE P, CHAN A, 1988
Poisonous plants in Singapore - a colour chart for identification with symptoms and signs of poisoning. Toxicon 26(1):47.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Catharanthus roseus

Vernacular names

Honduras:

Cuba:

Honduras:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

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