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Catharanthus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
White Catharanthus roseus

Catharanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. Like the genus Vinca, they are known commonly as periwinkles.[1][2] It is a perennial herb and a subshrub endemic to Madagascar,[3] with the exception of the Catharanthus pusillius species, which is found in India and Sri Lanka.[4][5][6][7] The most widely known species is Catharanthus roseus due to its renowned usage in traditional and modern medicine, specifically, as a source of cancer-treating alkaloid chemicals.[8]

Catharanthus pusillus
Catharanthus lanceus

Morphology

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The plants of Catharanthus are perennial herbs that are subshrubby, often with prostrate or erect stems that branch from the base of the plant.[4][5] The genus was first described in 1837 by George Don. He characterized the plants by the morphological features of simple, opposite, or almost oppositely arranged leaves. The flowers are usually solitary in the leaf axils. Each has a calyx with five long, narrow lobes and a corolla with a tubular throat and five lobes that can be twisted.[3][9][4] Fruits are commonly made up of two divergent follicles that hold many seeds.[2][5] The corolla varies in color shades of pink, purple, and white.[4][5]There are nine known species. Eight are endemic to Madagascar,[10] though one, C. roseus, is widely naturalized around the world.[4][5][7][11][12][13] The ninth species, C. pusillus, is native to India and Sri Lanka.[4][5][7][14] The plant, as it has been observed up to this point, can inhabit up to 2000 m elevation, particularly those seen in the central plateau mountains.[4]


It has also been mentioned that the genus is closely associated with the genus Amsonia, but possesses distinct differences such as Catharanthus grows mostly solitary or in pairs, while Amsonia grows in groups.[5]

Historical Taxonomy

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The genus has undergone several taxonomic revisions since it was classified initially. The genus was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 with the species Vinca rosea (known now as Catharanthus roseus). Along with V. rosea, he distinguished two other species, Vinca major and Vinca minor. In 1828, Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach proposed a separation of V. rosea with the new name of Lochnera.[2][11] However, the distinction and descriptions he intended to back up his proposal were not widely accepted in the world of botany and taxonomy. In 1838, it became an accepted proposition and name as Stephen Endlicher made a clear and valid distinction, which includes how Catharanthus is filiform while Vinca is narrowly obconical, Catharanthus is a perennial (a plant living longer than two years) herb or undershrub erect or procumbent, while Vinca is a perennial herb ascending.[2][5] Around the same time, George Don had first described his findings and formally proposed a new genus, Catharanthus. This was based on differences in morphological characteristics of other species in the Vinca genus and V. rosea. In 1844, Augustin Pyramus de Candolle further revised the classification of the genus, dividing Vinca into three sections: Lochnera, containing C. roseus, C. coriaceous, C. lanceus , C. longifolius, C. trichophyllus, and C. ovalis. C. pusillus was distinguished into a different section called Cupa Veela. After these taxonomic revisions and contributions occurred, the name Catharanthus was acknowledged more. In 1949, Pierre Pichon added C. scitulus to the Lochnera section and renamed it Androyella.[2][5] More recently, in 2015, the genus was expanded further with the discovery of the species Catharanthus makayensis by Lucile Allorge, Peter B. Phillips on, and Richardson Razakamalala.[4] C. roseus and C. trichophyllus are also known as sadabahar (in Hindi) and Chang Chung Hua (in Chinese).[2] The name Catharanthus comes from the Greek for "pure flower".[3][9]

Species Descriptions

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Catharanthus coriaceous Markgr. - Madagascar

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C. coriaceous is typically found in the northern areas or the central plateau of Madagascar, preferring a dry, rocky environment. The plants are relatively small at full growth (hardly ever grown more than 30 cm tall). The one-flowered plant has leaves that are 30mm long or less but are longer than the internodes.[2][4] The follicles are erect or pedunculate, and the corolla is pink.[5]

Catharanthus lanceus (Bojer ex A.DC.) Pichon - Madagascar

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Commonly found in or on the central Plateau, preference for humid environments. The plant's leaves are relatively small, being shorter than the internodes. Unlike other species, C. lanceus branches out many a times and has several rosettes or flowers.[4][5]

Research has been conducted, isolating two alkaloids found in the root: Lanceine and Vinosidine.[15]

Catharanthus longifolius (Pichon) Pichon - Madagascar

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Usually found in the mountainous areas in the southeast and northern areas of Madagascar. Named after its leaf shape, which is lanceolate as it grows. It is relatively small, with leaves being less then 9 mm wide. The corolla is pink with a yellow eye, and the lobes are white closest to the base.[2][4][16]

C. longifolius contains similar compound alkaloids as C. roseus such as Cathafoline, similar to the structure of Serpentine and Vindolinine.[16]

Catharanthus Makayensis (L. Allorge, Phillipson on, & Razakamal.) - Madagascar

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The newest species of the genus, C. makayensis, was discovered in 2015 by Mohamed Mezaga, Lucile Allorge, Peter B. Phillipson, and Richardson Razakamalala. It differed from other species in the genus with its hexangular cross-section stems.[2][4] It has smaller leaves (2 mm long) and a Corolla with a magenta eye and white lobes. It grows up to 60 cm tall. Only 2 samples have been found in the Makay Massif area in sandy soil and moist areas along river banks up to 400-600 m elevation.[4]

Catharanthus ovalis Markgr. - Madagascar

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C. ovalis is found in the southern areas of the Central Plateau and the southwest of Madagascar. The plant has glabrous stems and leaves with an oval shape. The leaves are sessile (petiole less than 1 mm long) and the corolla has a white or yellow eye and pink lobes.[2][4]

Catharanthus pusillus (Murray) G. Don. - India, Sri Lanka, Western Himalayas

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Unlike other species in the genus, C. pusillus is a species of Catharanthus that is found in India and Sri Lanka and can be referred to as Sangkhi, Ran-kel, or Tiloni in Marathi, and many others.[2] It is the smallest of the genus and is sometimes referred to as "Tiny Periwinkle" as well, growing up to 20 cm tall. The corolla is white with a yellow eye and the corolla tube can grow up to 11 mm long.[2][4][17]

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don. - Madagascar Periwinkle, old-maid, rosy Periwinkle, pink Periwinkle - Madagascar; naturalized in Italy, S Asia, Australia, S United States, Central America, India and various oceanic islands

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The most widely known species, native to Madagascar, particularly the south-east and throughout the tropics, has been naturalized and cultivated globally. The plant is relatively large (30-100 cm) at full growth. The corolla is normally pink with a purple eye or white with a yellow eye.[2][4][8]

Catharanthus scitulus (Pichon) Pichon - Madagascar

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C. scitulus inhabits the sub-arid south in low-lying, sandy soil. Stems spread into pseudo-dichotomous branching, coming together to form a rosette at each node.[4] Similar to C. lanceus, the plant branches out more than the other species. The corolla is pink or violet at the lobes.[2][5]

Catharanthus trichophyllus (Baker) Pichon - Madagascar. Also known as Sadabahar or Baramasi in India.

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C. trichophyllus is found throughout the northern areas of Madagascar and extends down the east coast. It's corolla has reddish-pink lobes with a purple eye. Additionally, it has fruits that grow spirally. It's leaves are sub-sessile (petiole less than 1 mm long).[2][4]

C. trichophyllus contains alkaloids such as Vinblastine, Vincristine, Ajmalicine, etc. These alkaloids are also found in C. roseus and used to treat cancer, high blood pressure, and many other illnesses.[2][11]

Uses

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In the 1950s, Catharanthus roseus, known formerly as Vinca rosea, was heavily researched when India, and various countries in Africa and the Caribbean used it for its medicinal properties.[8] It is a main source of vinca alkaloids, now sometimes called catharanthus alkaloids. The plant produces about 130 of these compounds, including vinblastine and vincristine, two drugs used to treat cancer.[11][18][19][20][21] These alkaloids are typically used to treat cancer, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and testicular cancer. A less commonly known alkaloid that the species holds is Ajmalicine (found in the root), used to treat high blood pressure/ diabetes. Traditionally, the medicinal properties of the plant extend to treating hyperglycemia, asthma, hypertension, malaria, various infections, and many more.[2][8][11] The species was also briefly referenced when trying to find COVID-19 treatment through the extraction and usage of Jasmonic acid, Methylester, Peniclovir, and Putamonoxin B and D.[11] Other traditional medicine uses the plant for leaf juice application on bee and wasp stings in India, eye wash for infants with flower extract in Cuba and Jamaica, treat insomnia in Malaysia, ease sore throats and laryngitis in America.[2][8][11]

Many of the species, primarily Catharanthus roseus, is also cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens. Several cultivars have been bred to produce flowers in many shades of pink, red, lilac, and white, or in light shades with dark throats.[2][8][22]

Species[12]

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  1. Catharanthus coriaceus Markgr. – Madagascar
  2. Catharanthus lanceus (Bojer ex A.DC.) Pichon – Madagascar
  3. Catharanthus longifolius (Pichon) Pichon – Madagascar
  4. Catharanthus ovalis Markgr. – Madagascar
  5. Catharanthus pusillus (Murray) G.Don. – India, Sri Lanka, Western Himalayas
  6. Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don. – Madagascar periwinkle, old-maid, rosy periwinkle, pink periwinkle – Madagascar; naturalized in Italy, S Asia, Australia, S United States, Central America, India and various oceanic islands
  7. Catharanthus scitulus (Pichon) Pichon – Madagascar
  8. Catharanthus trichophyllus (Baker) Pichon – Madagascar. It is also known as Sadabahar or Baramasi in India.

References

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  1. ^ Catharanthus. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Kole, Chittaranjan, ed. (2022). The Catharanthus Genome. Compendium of Plant Genomes. Cham: Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-89269-2. ISBN 978-3-030-89268-5. ISSN 2199-4781.
  3. ^ a b c Catharanthus. The Jepson eFlora 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Allorge, Lucile; Phillipson, Peter B.; Razakamalala, Richardson (2015-06-01). "Catharanthus makayensis L. Allorge, Phillipson & Razakamal. (Apocynaceae), a New Species from Madagascar". Candollea. 70 (1): 61. doi:10.15553/c2015v701a7. ISSN 0373-2967.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Bergen, Marieke van; Snoeijer, Wim, eds. (1996). Catharanthus G. Don: the Madagaskar periwinkle and related species. Wageningen Agricultural University papers. Wageningen: Agricultural Univ. ISBN 978-90-73348-60-8.
  6. ^ "Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don GRIN-Global". npgsweb.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  7. ^ a b c "Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "(PDF) Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus L.,): Diverse medicinal and therapeutic benefits to humankind". ResearchGate. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  9. ^ a b "Catharanthus". ucjeps.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  10. ^ Catharanthus. Madagascar Catalogue. eFloras.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Patil, Ravindra H.; Patil, Mohini P.; Maheshwari, Vijay L. (2023), Patil, Ravindra H.; Patil, Mohini P.; Maheshwari, Vijay L. (eds.), "Morphology, Ecology, Taxonomy, Diversity, Habitat and Geographical Distribution of the Apocynaceae Family", Apocynaceae Plants: Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Bioactivity and Biotechnological Advances, Singapore: Springer Nature, pp. 1–11, doi:10.1007/978-981-99-5406-3_1, ISBN 978-981-99-5406-3, retrieved 2025-05-15
  12. ^ a b "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families". Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  13. ^ "Catharanthus roseus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  14. ^ "Catharanthus pusillus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  15. ^ Blomster, Ralph N.; Farnsworth, Norman R.; Abraham, Donald J. (1967-02-01). "Catharanthus Alkaloids X. Isolation of Lanceine and Vinosidine from Catharanthus Lanceus Roots". Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 56 (2): 284–286. doi:10.1002/jps.2600560232. ISSN 0022-3549.
  16. ^ a b Rasoanaivo, P.; Langlois, N.; Potier, P. (1972-08-01). "Alcaloïdes du Catharanthus longifolius". Phytochemistry. 11 (8): 2616–2617. doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(00)88553-2. ISSN 0031-9422.
  17. ^ "Catharanthus pusillus - Tiny Periwinkle". www.flowersofindia.net. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  18. ^ van Der Heijden, R.; et al. (2004). "The catharanthus alkaloids: pharmacognosy and biotechnology". Current Medicinal Chemistry. 11 (5): 607–28. doi:10.2174/0929867043455846. PMID 15032608.
  19. ^ Cooper, Raymond; Deakin, Jeffrey John (2016). "Africa's gift to the world". Botanical Miracles: Chemistry of Plants That Changed the World. CRC Press. pp. 46–51. ISBN 9781498704304.
  20. ^ Keglevich, Péter; Hazai, Laszlo; Kalaus, György; Szántay, Csaba (2012). "Modifications on the basic skeletons of vinblastine and vincristine". Molecules. 17 (5): 5893–5914. doi:10.3390/molecules17055893. PMC 6268133. PMID 22609781.
  21. ^ Raviña, Enrique (2011). "Vinca alkaloids". The evolution of drug discovery: From traditional medicines to modern drugs. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 157–159. ISBN 9783527326693.
  22. ^ Catharanthus roseus. Missouri Botanical Garden.
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