Health benefits of Physalis minima

Physalis minima (Country gooseberry), is a plant from the Solanaceae family that has been used since centuries ago in Ayurvedic Indian traditional medicine, where it is known as Chirpoti, to treat some well known ailments and health problems. The fruit of this plant has a characteristic orange color and is covered by this paper-like leaves.

In spite most of the investigations on this wonderful fruit are focused on its anti-cancer properties, Physalis minima has other important properties, among which we can mention its diuretic, laxative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial [2] and antibacterial properties [3]. Image: Physalis peruviana.

PHYSALIS MINIMA

Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Physalis
Common name: Native gooseberry, Country gooseberry, Wild cape gooseberry and Pygmy ground cherry [1], Physalis parviflora, Physalis pubescens, Chinese latern, حرنكش.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PHYSALIS MINIMA

Since years ago, Physalis minima was thought to posses antimicrobial and antineoplastic properties [2,4], mainly due to the presence of two active constituents found on the plant that are known to exert those two properties, namely phenolics and alkaloids [15], however it wasn't until recently that those antimicrobial properties of  Physalis minima were proven. Image: Physalis minima by John Tann under CC license (CC by 2.0).

In studies done with Native gooseberry extracts against all the bacterial strains, either gram-positive or gram-negative (inlcuding Bacillus cereus, Bacillus pumulis, Bacillus subtilis, Bordetella bronchiseptia, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis), the extracts of physalis minima exerted activity against both, gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains. These properties were possibly exerted by the phenolics and alkaloids active constituents found on the plant, responsible of its powerful anti-infective properties.

The use of fruits, herbs and natural remedies against bacterial infections has the added value of having less adverse side-effects and contraindications, as they are products found in nature which in most cases do not cause the undesired hypersensitivity and allergic reactions caused by antibiotics, another reason to give a chance to natural remedies.

PHYSALIS MINIMA ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS

Apart from the already mentioned phenolics and alkaloids compounds found in Physalis minima, the fruit and plant contains also physalins [10], steroids and flavonoids. Dihydroxyphysalin B, a new physalin, was extracted from Physalis minima leaves [12].

Last but not least, the Physalis minima root has been used to obtain Solanoside glycosides (BEC) , an active constituent found also in Solanum linnaeanum (devil's apple) and Solanum melongena (Eggplant), known to be very effective in the treatment of malignant and benign human skin tumors [11].

PHYSALIS LONGIFOLIA

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Another type of Physalis, the Physalis longifolia (Common name: Common Groundcherry, Long-leaved Groundcherry), had additionally withanolides and acetylated derivatives [7].  The withanolides extracted from the aerial parts of Physalis longifolia exerted a powerful cytotoxicity against human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (JMAR and MDA-1986), melanoma (B16F10 and SKMEL-28), and normal fetal fibroblast (MRC-5) cells [13].

PHYSALIS MINIMA PROPERTIES

ANTI-CANCER PROPERTIES OF PHYSALIS MINIMA

Several of the active constituents of Physalis longifolia showed a potent cytotoxicity against human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (JMAR and MDA-1986), melanoma (B16F10 and SKMEL-28), and normal fetal fibroblast (MRC-5) [7].

Physalis minima extracts exerted inhibitory properties against human T-47D breast carcinoma cells,  inducing apoptotic cell death [8]. This anti-cancer properties and cytotoxic activities were also noticed on NCI-H23 (human lung adenocarcinoma) [9]. It is believed that extracts of Physalis minima could be used in future to develop anti-cancer drugs [9].

ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES OF PHYSALIS MINIMA

The phenolic and alkaloids active constituents of Physalis active constituents found in this plant exerted antibacterial properties on the strains tested with the extract of this plant [2].

REFERENCES

[1] Wikipedia article on Physalis minima

[2] Study on the antibacterial potential of Physalis minima linn.Patel T, Shah K, Jiwan K, Shrivastava N.Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development (PERD) Centre, S. G. Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad - 380 054, India.

[3] Kirtikar KR, Basu BD. Vol. 3. Allahabad: Lalit Mohan Basu Publications; 1991. Indian Medicinal Plants.

[4] Shariff N, Sudarshana MS, Umesha S, Hariprasad P. Antimicrobial activity of Rauvolfia tetraphylla and Physalis minima leaf and callus extracts. African J Biotech. 2006;5:946–50.

[5] P-Z. Vol. 2. New Delhi: The Controller of Publications; 1996. Indian Pharmacopoeia; pp. C103–4.

[6] Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of Physalis minima Linn.Khan MA, Khan H, Khan S, Mahmood T, Khan PM, Jabar A.Department of Chemistry, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, 26000, Pakistan.

[7] Cytotoxic Withanolide Constituents of Physalis longifolia.
Zhang H, Samadi AK, Gallagher RJ, Araya JJ, Tong X, Day VW, Cohen MS, Kindscher K, Gollapudi R, Timmermann BN.
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas , Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United States.

[8] Apoptotic effects of Physalis minima L. chloroform extract in human breast carcinoma T-47D cells mediated by c-myc-, p53-, and caspase-3-dependent pathways.
Ooi KL, Tengku Muhammad TS, Lim CH, Sulaiman SF.
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.

[9] Cytotoxic Activities of Physalis minima L. Chloroform Extract on Human Lung Adenocarcinoma NCI-H23 Cell Lines by Induction of Apoptosis.
Leong OK, Muhammad TS, Sulaiman SF.
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia

[10] Antileishmanial physalins from Physalis minima.
Choudhary MI, Yousaf S, Ahmed S; Samreen, Yasmeen K; Atta-ur-Rahman.
H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan.

[11] Solasodine glycoside production by hairy root cultures of Physalis minima Linn.
Putalun W, Prasamsiwamai P, Tanaka H, Shoyama Y.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.

[12] Dihydroxyphysalin B: a new physalin from Physalis minima leaves.
Alluri RR, Miller RJ, Shelver WH, Khalil SK.

[13] Cytotoxic withanolide constituents of Physalis longifolia.
Zhang H, Samadi AK, Gallagher RJ, Araya JJ, Tong X, Day VW, Cohen MS, Kindscher K, Gollapudi R, Timmermann BN.
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA.

[14] Picture: Scott Liddell via Morgue File. http://www.scottliddell.net