WORLD JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

Pekamwar et al.

World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Volume 2, Issue 6, 4719-4727.

Review Article

ISSN 2278 4357

HIBISCUS ROSA-SINENSIS: A REVIEW ON ORNAMENTAL PLANT

Pekamwar S. S.*, Kalyankar T.M., Jadhav A.C.
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, S R T M University,
Nanded- 431606 (MS) India.

Article Received on
03 September 2013,
Revised on 27 October 2013,
Accepted on 14 November
2013

ABSTRACT
Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thousands of year and
a large number of drugs have been isolated from natural sources.
Higher plants, as source of medicinal compounds, have continued to
play an important role in the maintenance of human health since

*Correspondence for

ancient times. Over 50% of all modern clinical drugs are of natural
product origin and have significant role in drug development programs

Author:

in the pharmaceutical industry. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, an ornamental

*Dr. S. S. Pekamwar,
Director, School of Pharmacy,
S R T M University,

plant; posses different pharmacological activities & is used for

treatment of different diseases. A review of pharmacological potential

Nanded-431606 (MS) India

of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plant is discussed in brief in this article.

sspekamwar@gmail.com

KEYWORDS:

Hibiscus

rosa-sinensis,

phytochemistry,

pharmacology.
INTRODUCTION
Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thoughts of years and a remarkable number
of drugs have been isolated from natural source. Over the years, WHO advocated traditional
medicines as safe remedies for aliments of both microbial and non-microbial origins.

[1]

World Health Organization has recommended that traditional health and folk medicine
systems are proved to be more efficient in health problems worldwide. India is one of the
nations blessed with a rich heritage of traditional medical systems and rich biodiversity to
complement the herbal needs of the treatment administered by these conventional medical
systems. The accepted Indian systems of medicine are Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha, which
uses herbs and natural resources in the formulations. [2]

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Hibiscus rosa sinensis L (Malvaceae) is an ornamental plant often a hedge or fence plant. It is
native to china and is also seen in India and Philippines. This plant having several forms and
varying colors of flowers. This is a national flower of Malaysia. [3]

Figure 1: Hibiscus rosa sinensis Plant

Scientific Classification
Kingdom

Plantae

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta

Super division

Spermatophyta

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Subclass

Dilleniidae

Order

Malvales

Family

Malvaceae

Genus

Hibiscus

Species

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

PHYTOCHEMICAL REVIEW
Different extract of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plant revealed the presence of alkaloids,
glycosides, fatty materials, reducing sugars, resin, sterols and the lack of tannins and
Saponins. Isolation of -sitosterol, taraxeryl acetate and four uncharacterized compounds
which included an alkaloid and three sterols has been reported in the leaves. The leaves of
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis were also investigated for their fatty alcohol, fatty acids and
hydrocarbon content. Two cyclic acids viz., malvalic and sterculic are also identified. [2]

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Flowers contain vitamins, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine and
cyaniding diglucoside. Quercetin-3-diglucoside, cyanidin-3-sophoroside-5-glycosides, 3, 7diglucoside, cyanidin-3, 5-diglucoside have been isolated from deep yellow flowers. [4]
Table 1: Phytochemical Review
Sr.no. Plant part
1

Flowers[5]

Constituent reported
Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin and Ascorbic acid, Apigenidin,
citric acid, fructose, glucose, oxalic acid, pelargonidin, quercetin.

Leaves[2]

Alkaloids, glycosides, reducing sugars, fatty materials, resin and

sterols, Fatty acids, fatty alcohol, and hydrocarbon, sterculic and
malvalic acid.

Stems[6]

Teraxeryl acetate, -sitosterol and the cyclicacids sterculic and

malvalic acids.

Roots[7]

Glycosides, tannins, phytosterols, fixed oils, fats, proteins, amino

acids, flavonoids, Saponins, gums and mucilage.

PHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW
Hibiscus rosa sinensis (Malvaceae) is a perennial ornamental shrub available throughout
India. Various parts of this plant like flowers, leaves and roots have been known to possess
medicinal properties like oral contraceptive, laxative, aphrodisiac, menorrhagic etc. [8]
Several articles and ancient literature have shown that the flowers of this plant possess
antifertility activity. [9] The aqueous ethanolic extract of aerial parts of this plant was reported
for its use in constipation and diarrhea. [10] In traditional medicine, the leaves of the plant are
used in fatigue and skin disease. Powdered root of the plant is given for menorrhagia and the
fresh root juice for gonorrhea.

[11]

Flowers of the plant are used in diabetes, epilepsy,

bronchial catarrh and leprosy. [12, 13]

An infusion of the petal is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine in India as a demulcent
refrigerant drink in fever [14] and decoction is given in bronchial catarrh. [15] Previous studies
showed that the plant possess anti-phologistic, anti-diarrhetic and anticomplementary
activity. [16]

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It has been reported that the plant flower possess anti-spermatogenic and androgenic [17] antitumour activity. [18] The use of flower to treat heart disorders and anti-diabetic activity has
also been confirmed. [19, 20]
Table 2: Pharmacological Review
Sr

Plant part

Activity reported

Model used

Remark

Flower

Antidiabetic Activity

Steptozotocin

Found to be active

no
1

induced[21]
Alloxan induced[22]
Hair growth potential

Found to be active

In vivo & in vitro Exits potency

methods[23]

Anticonvulsive

Mice[24]

The brain content of

Activity

GABA & serotonin

were raised.

Antifertility Activity

[25]

Rats

Antifertility

effects

in rats
Abortifacient

Rats[26]

A dose of 186mg/kg

Activity
Antiestrogenic

were active
[27]

Albino rats

Activity

reduction

weights

of

in
the

pituitary, ovary &

uterus.
Guinea pigs[28]
Anti-implantation

Female

Activity

rats[29]

Found to be active.

albino Leading

to

reduction

80%

In

the

implantation site on
10th

day

of

pregnancy.
Antilithiatic potential

In vitro assay[30]

very

inhibitory

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good
effect

against

crystal

nucleation,

growth

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& aggregation.
Cardio

protective Wistar

albino The determination of

[31]

baseline changes in

effect

rats

cardiac endogenous
antioxidants.
Wound

healing Rats[32]

Found to be active

activity
2

Leaves

Antifungal Activity

Active

on Inhibition found to

Rhizoctonia solani be 34.50%

Mycelial
inhibition[33]
Anti-inflammatory

Carragenin induced Found to be active

activity

pedal

edema

of

rats[34]
Hair growth potential

In vivo & in vitro Found to be more

methods[23]

potent than flower

extract.

Analgesic Activity

Mice[34]

Antipyretic Activity

Brewers
induced

Found to be active.
yeast Dose of 100mg/kg
pyrexia was active.

[34]

rats

Antibacterial Activity Clinical isolates of Found to be active

bacteria[35]
Antioxidant

and In vivo & in vitro Found to be active

scavenging activity
3

Stem

Root

Juvenile

assay[36]

Harmone Dysdercus

Found to be active

Activity

cingulatus[37]

Antipyretic activity

Swiss

albino Found to be active

rats[38]
Analgesic activity in

Swiss

albino Found to be active

rats[38]
Antiulcer Activity

Pyloric

ligation Found to be active

method in rats[39]

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Antifertility Activity

female

albino Found to be active

rats[40]
Hypolipidaemic

Rats[41]

Found to be active

Activity
5

Aerial parts CNS

depressant Mice[23]

Dose of 500mg/kg

Activity

was active

Hypothermic Activity Mice[23]

Found to be active

Hypotensive Activity

Dogs[42]

A dose of 50mg/kg
was active.

Antipyretic Activity

Mice[23]

A dose of 500mg/kg
was active.

CONCLUSION
Hibiscus rosa sinensis possess many properties and this plant may procured at large scale for
providing herbal alternative to many diseases. This study shows that on biochemical basis
plant used in the treatment and prevention of various diseases and disorders. The
phytochemical screening on qualitative analysis shows that the plant is rich in alkaloids,
terpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, reducing sugar, Fatty materials, saponins, gums and
mucilage.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Authors are thankful to the School of Pharmacy, S R T M University, Nanded, for providing
necessary facilities.
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