CHAMAECOSTUS CUSPIDATUS
COMMON NAMES
Insulin Plant, Fiery Costus, Spiral Flag and Step Ladder.
DISTRIBUTION
Chamaecostus cuspidatus is native to Southeast Asia, particularly the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. Additionally, it is found in India, including West Bengal. In Southern India, the plant is commonly used directly as a supplement for diabetes treatment.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
It is a perennial, upright, and spreading plant that grows to approximately two feet in height, with its tallest stems eventually bending and lying on the ground. The leaves are simple, alternate, entire, oblong, and evergreen, measuring 4‑8 inches in length with parallel venation. These large, smooth, dark green leaves feature light purple undersides and are spirally arranged around the stems, forming attractive, arching clumps that emerge from underground rootstocks. During the warm months, the plant produces beautiful orange flowers, about 1.5 inches in diameter, which appear on cone‑like heads at the tips of branches. The fruits are inconspicuous, less than 0.5 inches in size, green in color, and not particularly showy.
ETHNOBOTANICAL USES
The plant Chamaecostus cuspidatus is traditionally used for various medicinal purposes. The rhizome treats conditions like fever, asthma, bronchitis, intestinal worms, eye and stomach ailments, edema, and hemorrhoids. Its leaves are used to manage diabetes through leaf juice. The root is incorporated into Siddha medicine in the form of powders, decoctions, and oils. These traditional practices highlight the plant's significance in folk medicine across various cultures.
PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPONENTS
Phytochemical studies on Chamaecostus cuspidatus revealed bioactive compounds such as carbohydrates, terpenoids, proteins, alkaloids, tannins, and flavonoids, with quercetin being a major flavonoid isolated from its methanol extract. The plant also contains antioxidants like ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, and β-carotene. Additionally, the leaves contain phytoconstituents such as tigogenin, gracillin, and sitosterol. Other isolated compounds include roseoside, epigallocatechingallate, and glycyrrhetinic acid, among others. These compounds have been noted for their insulin-mimetic and antidiabetic activities.
CHEMICAL STRUCTURE
PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES
ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECT
The methanolic extract of Costus igneus showed significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria like Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus lactis, as well as gram-negative strains such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. In Costus pictus, methanolic extracts from the stem and flower were most effective against Shigella flexneri and Bacillus subtilis at a concentration of 150 μg/ml, and also active against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Additionally, a compound isolated from the ethanolic extract of Costus igneus exhibited moderate antibacterial activity and was effective against the fungus Candida albicans.
ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES
The antioxidant activities of leaves and rhizomes of Costus pictus were evaluated using various extracts, showing significant antioxidant activity with percentages of 89.5% for leaves and 90.0% for rhizomes compared to the standard BHT at 400 μg/ml. Methanolic extracts from the flower and stem also exhibited in vitro antioxidant activity against oxidative protein damage. The study highlighted that the polyphenols and antioxidants present not only scavenge free radicals but also inhibit their generation.
ANTICANCER EFFECT
The ethanolic extract of Costus pictus leaves showed anti-proliferative and anti-cancer potential against HT-1080 cells, while extracts from its bark demonstrated significant anti-cancer effects against HT-29 and A549 cells. Additionally, cytotoxic activities of crude ethanolic extracts from Chamaecostus subsessilis and C. cuspidatus, along with six fractions, were assessed against six human cancer cell lines, with cytotoxic effects in HL60, Jurkat, and THP-1 cells mediated through an apoptotic mechanism.
ANTI-DIABETIC EFFECTS
The leaves of this plant exhibit significant antidiabetic properties by lowering fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels, although the exact mechanism is not well understood. It also helps mitigate complications associated with diabetes by normalizing renal and hepatic parameters, reducing glycosylated hemoglobin levels, and improving the lipid profile. Additionally, the plant increases body weight and insulin levels and shows notable improvements in histopathological assessments.
HYPOLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY
A comparative study on Chamaecostus cuspidatus extracts found that both methanolic and aqueous extracts at 200 mg/kg effectively mitigated diabetes-induced hyperlipidemia in rats. Additionally, an alcoholic extract administered at 400 mg/kgsignificantly reduced serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL levels in Triton-induced hyperlipidemic rats.
TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE
Acute toxicity studies of Costus pictus aqueous extract at doses of 5, 10, 20, and 40 g/kg showed no mortality or behavioral changes. Similarly, a daily dose of 1 g/kg body weight for 30 days did not produce adverse effects. The ethanolic extract of Costus igneus was safe up to 5000 mg/kg body weight, with no significant toxicity observed during a 14-day period. However, the methanolic extract of Costus igneus showed toxicity at 250 mg/kg body weight.
CLINICAL VALIDATED USES AND DRUG-DRUG INTERACTION
Not reported
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