Medicinal Exploration of
Costus igneus.
The Insulin plant
Presented By : RAJIV GOSAI
MSc.in Biotechnology ( Semester IV )
Swami Vivekananda University.
Introduction
1. Costus and Its Medicinal Properties:

Belongs to Costaceae family, commonly known as the insulin plant in India.

Leaves aid in insulin production in the human body.


Rising demand for herbal remedies due to side effects of oral hypoglycemic
agents.
Traditional use of plant preparations for managing diabetes.
2. Focus on Herbal Remedies:

Growing interest in herbal remedies for diabetes mellitus treatment.

Exploration of new oral hypoglycemic compounds from medicinal plants.

Potential for developing pharmaceutical entities or dietary adjuncts to existing
therapies.
Introduction
3. Insulin Plant's Global Acceptance:

Insulin plant gaining global acceptance and used as an Ayurvedic medicinal
herb.

Leaves believed to lower blood glucose levels.

Diabetics reported a decrease in blood glucose levels after consuming the
plant's leaves.
4. Geographical and Cultural Background:

Native to Southeast Asia, particularly the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia.

Recently introduced to India and cultivated as an ornamental plant in Kerala.

In Ayurvedic medicine, diabetes traditionally treated by chewing the plant
leaves for a month for controlled blood glucose levels.
Plant Description.
Plant Description.
Botanical Characteristics of Costus
igneus :
- Perennial tropical evergreen plant
in the Costaceae family.
- Features simple, alternate,
entire, and oblong evergreen leaves.
- Leaves are 4-8 inches long with
parallel venation.
- Large, smooth, dark green leaves
with light purple undersides, spirally
arranged around stems.
- Forms attractive, arching clumps
from underground rootstocks,
reaching about 60cm in height.
- Orange flowers with a diameter of
2.5-12.5cm appear in warm months
on cone-like heads at branch tips.
Phytocostituents.
1. Phytochemical Screening Results:

- Presence of various phytochemicals in Costus, including
steroids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids,
glycosides, saponins, carbohydrates, and proteins.

- Methanol extract showed the highest number of
phytochemicals.
2. Comparison of Extracts from Wild Plant and Callus:

- Preliminary screening of wild plant and callus extracts
indicated high levels of phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, and
terpenoids in methanolic extracts.
3. Sequential Screening for Phytochemicals in Costus Leaves:

- Costus leaves found to be rich in protein, iron, and
antioxidants.

- Antioxidant components include ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol,
β-carotene, terpenoids, steroids, and flavonoids.
Objectives.

Systematic Analysis of Phytochemical
Constituents.

In-depth Exploration of Pharmacological
Activities.

Elucidation of Mechanisms of Action

Validation of Traditional Medicinal Uses

Identification of Research Gaps and Future
Avenues
Reported Medicinal Activities
Summary of
of Anti
Anti diabetic
diabetic studies
studies of
of Costus
Costus igneus
igneus
Summary
Conclusion
1.Pharmacological Actions of Costus igneus:


- Identified as a significant medicinal herb with various pharmacological actions.
- Studies reveal important phytoconstituents, including conjugated flavonoids,
flavones, flavonols, catechin and its derivatives, chlorophylls a and b, resinoids,
essential oil, and the alkaloid saussurine, inulin, and resin.
2.Diverse Pharmacological Properties:

- Demonstrated pharmacological properties encompass antidiabetic effects,
antiproliferative effects, antimicrobial activity, antiurolithiatic property, antiinflammatory potential, impact on learning and memory, antioxidant activity,
neuroprotective role, and hypolipidemic activity.
3. Need for Further Exploration:

- Emphasizes the necessity for additional research to explore medicinal properties
and identify various phytoconstituents responsible for the observed pharmacological
actions.

- Aims to enhance the reliability and efficacy of treatment with fewer side effects
for the benefit of mankind in the future.
Reference

1. Meti R. Standardization, value addition and sensory evaluation of products prepared from
insulin plant leaves (Costus igneus). International Journal of Advanced Educational Research.
Volume 3, 2018 January, 374-376.

2. Urooj A and Devi V D. Nutrient profile and antioxidant components of Costus speciosus
Sm. and Costus igneus Nak. Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources. March Vol. 1,
2010, 116-118.

3. Harini A Prakash, Hegde L, Kumar S, Rao N P. Macro-microscopy and TLC atlas of leaves of
Costus igneus Nak. Journal of Ayurveda Medical Sciences. 1, 2016, 5-11.

4. Nature Your Help: Insulin Plant. http://natureyourhelp.blogspot.com/p/insulin-plant.html

5. David. E*, Saranya R and Mohanasrinivasan. Genotyping of insulin plant Costus igneus
using trnH-psbA using intergenic spacer gene trnH-psbA (PTIGS) and Biogenic gold
nanoparticles synthesis. International Journal of PharmTech Research. Vol.9, 2016, 492-501.

6. Ramasubramaniyan M R, Balasubramanian K, RajeshK, Priya Dharishini M, Krishna
moorthy M, Radha A, Sai Shruti B.and S. Raja Nandhini . Studies on Optimization of Medium
in Induction and Regeneration of Callus and Shoot from Costus igneus and its Phytochemical
Profile. Journal of Academia and Industrial Research (JAIR). Volume 4, July 2015, 75-80.
Acknowledgement

I extend my sincere appreciation to my guide, Dr. Semanti Ghosh, for her
invaluable guidance and support throughout this project. Her expertise and
encouragement have been instrumental in shaping the successful completion
of this work. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn under her mentorship.