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.

ABSTRACT
Article Received on
03 September 2013, Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thousands of year and

Revised on 27 October 2013,
Accepted on 14 November
2013
*Correspondence for
Author:
*Dr. S. S. Pekamwar,
Director, School of Pharmacy,
S R T M University,
Nanded-431606 (MS) India
sspekamwar@gmail.com
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
ancient times. Over 50% of all modern clinical drugs are of natural
product origin and have significant role in drug development programs
in the pharmaceutical industry. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, an ornamental
plant; posses different pharmacological activities & is used for
treatment of different diseases. A review of pharmacological potential
of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plant is discussed in brief in this article.
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
[1]
medicines as safe remedies for aliments of both microbial and non-microbial origins.
“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 β-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, 7-
diglucoside, cyanidin-3, 5-diglucoside have been isolated from deep yellow flowers. [4]

Table 1: Phytochemical Review

Sr.no. Plant part Constituent reported

1 Flowers[5]
2 Leaves[2]
3 Stems[6]
4 Roots[7]
Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin and Ascorbic acid, Apigenidin,
citric acid, fructose, glucose, oxalic acid, pelargonidin, quercetin.
Alkaloids, glycosides, reducing sugars, fatty materials, resin and
sterols, Fatty acids, fatty alcohol, and hydrocarbon, sterculic and
malvalic acid.
Teraxeryl acetate, ß-sitosterol and the cyclicacids sterculic and
malvalic acids.
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
[11]
fresh root juice for gonorrhea. 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] anti-
tumour 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
no
1 Flower Antidiabetic Activity Steptozotocin Found to be active
induced[21]
Alloxan induced[22] Found to be active
Hair growth potential In vivo & in vitro Exits potency
methods[23]
Anticonvulsive Mice[24] The brain content of
Activity GABA & serotonin
were raised.
[25]
Antifertility Activity Rats Antifertility effects
in rats
Abortifacient Rats[26] A dose of 186mg/kg
Activity were active
[27]
Antiestrogenic Albino rats A reduction in
Activity weights of the
pituitary, ovary &
uterus.
Guinea pigs[28] Found to be active.

Anti-implantation Female albino Leading to 80%

Activity rats[29] reduction In the
implantation site on
10th day of
pregnancy.
Antilithiatic potential In vitro assay[30] A very good
inhibitory effect
against crystal
nucleation, growth

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& aggregation.
Cardio protective Wistar albino The determination of
[31]
effect rats baseline changes in
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] Found to be active.
Antipyretic Activity Brewer’s yeast Dose of 100mg/kg
induced 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 assay[36]
3 Stem Juvenile Harmone Dysdercus Found to be active
Activity cingulatus[37]
4 Root 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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