Justicia gendarussa

J. gendarussa is an erect, branched shrub which belongs to the family of Acanthaceae. It is a dicotyledonous plant that can reach heights up to 1.5 m. Its leaves are lanceolate, 4–14 cm long and 1–2.5 cm wide. The color of the leaves can be white, green or grey and hairy on both sides.{{Cite journal|language=en|doi=10.1088/1755-1315/794/1/012137|s2cid=236782236|title=A review on the bioactivities of Justicia gendarussa |year=2021 |last1=Chandra |first1=Shierly |last2=Lo |first2=Diana |journal=IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science |volume=794 |issue=1 |page=012137 |bibcode=2021E&ES..794a2137C |doi-access=free }} They are bitter, acrid and thermogenic. The rather small flowers grow as 4–12 cm long spikes at the end of branches or in leaf axils. The color of the flowers is white or pink with purple spots.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} The flowers are hermaphrodite and the bark has a dark purple.{{Cite book|last1=Dymock|first1=William|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/8696|title=Pharmacographia indica :A history of the principal drugs of vegetable origin, met with in British India|last2=Warden|first2=C. J. H.|last3=Hooper|first3=David|date=1890|publisher=K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & co., ld; [etc. etc.]|location=London}} The capsule of J. gendarussa is about 1.2 cm long and smooth.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} The plant contains a wide range of biologically active compounds like flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids and phenolic compounds.

The plant prefers shadow and therefore is distributed in the forests of India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. J. gendarussa is harvested from the wild. Because of its wide range of medicinal use, this causes jeopardizing of its natural biodiversity. Combined with the habitat destruction this uncontrolled harvesting causes the decline of the population. In addition, the plant is propagated by seeds, whose viability is only for a very short period of time. For all this reason it is important to look for alternative and sustainable methods to cultivate and to conserve the plant.

The hydroponic system is an alternative cultivation method for large-scale production. Explants of the J. gendarussa are placed in thermocole sheets and then put into water. The water contains a nutrient solution. There is the possibility to add plant growth regulators, e.g. Indole-3butyric acid, to increase the biomass production especially in the beginning phase to initiate root growth. The temperature is set between 28° and 34 °C and the plants can be harvested after 50 days.{{Cite journal|last1=Sugumaran|first1=P.|last2=Kowsalya|first2=N.|last3=Karthic|first3=Raju|last4=Seshadri|first4=S.|date=2013-03-29|title=Biomass production and antibacterial activity of Justicia gendarussa Burm. f. - A valuable Medicinal plant|url=https://jtrolis.ub.ac.id/index.php/jtrolis/article/view/54|journal=Journal of Tropical Life Science|language=en|volume=3|issue=1|pages=8–13|doi=10.11594/jtls.03.01.02 |issn=2527-4376|doi-access=free}}

The silviculture presents a possibility for an improved production of J. gendarussa. Possible fertilizers are chicken manure and bamboo charcoal at a rate of 1.5 t/ha.{{Cite journal|last1=Soh|first1=Norhidayah Che|last2=Hamzah|first2=Nur Adnilaila|last3=Shah|first3=Ramisah Mohd|date=2018-10-25|title=EFFECTS OF FERTILIZERS AND MEDIA ON BIOMASS OF Justicia gendarussa Burm f. CUTTINGS|url=https://jms.mabjournal.com/index.php/mab/article/view/2072|journal=Malaysian Applied Biology|language=en|volume=47|issue=4|pages=53–59|issn=2462-151X}}

The plant has a high root infection and strong mycorrhizal association. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus plays an important role for the soil fertility and the maintenance of the plant vigor due to its influence on microflora and nutrient cycle. The association with mycorrhiza can increase the growth and yield of the plant.{{Cite book|url=http://www.bibliothek.uni-regensburg.de/ezeit/?2770448|title=International Journal of Pharmacognosy: IJP|date=2014|publisher=Verlag nicht ermittelbar|location=Panchkula|language=English|oclc=882610888}}

J. gendarussa was proved to contain several phytochemicals, which are natural secondary plant compounds. Overall in the plant, roots, stem and leaves, following phytochemicals were found: alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and phenols.{{Cite web|title=Pakistan Journal of Botany|url=http://pakbs.org/pjbot/paper_details.php?id=9972|access-date=2021-12-04|website=pakbs.org}} The ingredients of the plant may vary depending on the age, physiological stage of the organ parts or the geographic region of cultivation.{{Cite journal|last1=Widyowati|first1=Retno|last2=Agil|first2=Mangestuti|date=2018|title=Chemical Constituents and Bioactivities of Several Indonesian Plants Typically Used in Jamu|url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cpb/66/5/66_c17-00983/_article|journal=Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin|volume=66|issue=5|pages=506–518|doi=10.1248/cpb.c17-00983|pmid=29710047|doi-access=free}}

The plant was proved to have both anti-microbial and anti-fungal action on selected pathogen strains, and therefore this plant can be used to develop herbal drugs.

J. gendarussa leaf extract was proven to potentially become a male, non-hormonally contraceptive method due to its competitive and reversible inhibition of the spermatozoon hyaluronidase enzyme. The plant is already used as traditional contraceptive method in Indonesia.{{Cite journal|last1=Ratih|first1=Gusti Ayu Made|last2=Imawati|first2=Maria Fatmadewi|last3=Purwanti|first3=Diah Intan|last4=Nugroho|first4=Rendra Rizki|last5=Wongso|first5=Suwidji|last6=Prajogo|first6=Bambang|last7=Indrayanto|first7=Gunawan|date=2019-06-01|title=Metabolite Profiling of Justicia gendarussa Herbal Drug Preparations|url=https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X19856252|journal=Natural Product Communications|language=en|volume=14|issue=6|pages=1934578X19856252|doi=10.1177/1934578X19856252|s2cid=195427031|issn=1934-578X|doi-access=free}}

The plant compound Patentiflorin A contained in J. gendarussa has shown to have a positive activity against several HIV strains, higher than the clinically used first anti-HIV drug, zidovudine AZT.{{Cite journal|last1=Zhang|first1=Hong-Jie|last2=Rumschlag-Booms|first2=Emily|last3=Guan|first3=Yi-Fu|last4=Wang|first4=Dong-Ying|last5=Liu|first5=Kang-Lun|last6=Li|first6=Wan-Fei|last7=Nguyen|first7=Van H.|last8=Cuong|first8=Nguyen M.|last9=Soejarto|first9=Djaja D.|last10=Fong|first10=Harry H. S.|last11=Rong|first11=Lijun|date=2017-06-23|title=Potent Inhibitor of Drug-Resistant HIV-1 Strains Identified from the Medicinal Plant Justicia gendarussa|url=https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.7b00004|journal=Journal of Natural Products|volume=80|issue=6|pages=1798–1807|doi=10.1021/acs.jnatprod.7b00004|pmid=28613071|issn=0163-3864}}

Further, extracts of the leaves have an anti-inflammatory effect. This has been demonstrated especially in mice, specific for the carrageenan-induced paw edema.{{Cite journal|last1=Kavitha|first1=S. K.|last2=Viji|first2=V.|last3=Kripa|first3=K.|last4=Helen|first4=A.|date=2011-07-01|title=Protective effect of Justicia gendarussa Burm.f. on carrageenan-induced inflammation|url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-011-0524-z|journal=Journal of Natural Medicines|language=en|volume=65|issue=3|pages=471–479|doi=10.1007/s11418-011-0524-z|pmid=21416126|s2cid=1271250|issn=1861-0293}}

The juice of the leaves can be drizzled into the ear for earache. To treat external edema, an oil made from the leaves can be used.{{Cite journal|last1=Aye|first1=Mya Mu|last2=Aung|first2=Hnin Thanda|last3=Sein|first3=Myint Myint|last4=Armijos|first4=Chabaco|date=January 2019|title=A Review on the Phytochemistry, Medicinal Properties and Pharmacological Activities of 15 Selected Myanmar Medicinal Plants|journal=Molecules|language=en|volume=24|issue=2|pages=293|doi=10.3390/molecules24020293|pmid=30650546|pmc=6359042|doi-access=free}}

J. gendarussa can be considered as a potential phytoremediator. It can absorb high amounts of aluminium, iron and copper in leaves, roots and stems. The problem is that when the plant is used as a phytoremediator, it can no longer be used for medicinal use.{{Cite journal|last1=Majid|first1=Nik Muhamad|last2=Islam|first2=M. M.|last3=Nap|first3=Melina E.|last4=Ghafoori|first4=Maryam|last5=Abdu|first5=Arifin|date=2012-03-01|title=Heavy metal uptake and translocation by Justicia gendarussa Burm F. from textile sludge contaminated soil|journal= Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B |volume=62|issue=2|pages=101–108|doi=10.1080/09064710.2011.579994|s2cid=84927043|issn=0906-4710|doi-access=free}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}
• [http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_id=273885 Australian Plant Names Index] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114161258/https://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_id=273885 |date=2021-11-14 }}
• [http://www.malecontraceptive.org/#!gendarussa/cbct Male Contraception Initiative article on gendarussa]

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gendarussa

Category:Flora of the Indian subcontinent

Category:Flora of Indo-China

Category:Flora of New Guinea

Category:Flora of Peninsular Malaysia

Category:Flora of the Philippines

Category:Flora of Sumatra

Category:Plants described in 1768

Category:Taxa named by Nicolaas Laurens Burman