Cyanotis arachnoidea, commonly known as spiderwort, is a procumbent herbaceous flowering plant species belonging to the Commelinaceae family. It is native to tropical regions of Africa and Asia and is characterized by its hairy, creeping stems and cobalt blue flowers.
Cyanotis arachnoidea has been traditionally used as a medicinal plant for treating various ailments. Recent scientific studies have also investigated the therapeutic potential of this species, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties reported in its extracts. Understanding the botany, distribution, uses, and conservation status of C. arachnoidea can provide insights into its importance as a medicinal and ornamental plant.
Taxonomy and Classification
Kingdom, phylum, and class
Cyanotis arachnoidea root belongs to the kingdom Plantae under the division Magnoliophyta. Its phylum is Tracheophyta and its class is Liliopsida.
Scientific name and synonyms
The scientific name for spiderwort is Cyanotis arachnoidea C.B. Clarke. It has the synonyms Commelina arachnoidea (C.B. Clarke) C.B. Clarke and Cyanotis cristata Rosendahl.
Common names
Some common names used for this species include spiderwort, hairy wandering Jew, and kobutori-sō. It is known as lodh in Hindi and Urdu.
Morphology and Characteristics
Description of the plant's appearance
C. arachnoidea is a perennial, creeping herb with branched, prostrate stems up to 60 cm long that root at nodes. The stems are fleshy and densely covered in soft hairs. The leaves are arranged in two opposite rows along the stem and are ovate or elliptic in shape with pointed tips. They are 5-8 cm long, fleshy, and hairy.
Leaf structure and arrangement
The leaves have parallel venation and are arranged oppositely along the quadrangular, hairy stem. The leaf blades have entire margins. Two small membranous stipules are present at the base of each leaf petiole.
Flower characteristics
The inflorescence is a solitary, axillary cyme with peduncles shorter than leaves. Each cyme bears 2-3 flowers on pedicels 5-10 mm long. The flowers are actinomorphic and bisexual, with 3 sepals and 3 petals. The sepals are free, lanceolate, and hairy on the outer surface. The petals are elliptic-oblong, spreading, and bright blue with a white base. There are 6 stamens with blue anthers and a 3-celled superior ovary. The fruit is an oblong capsule.
Distribution and Habitat
Native regions
Cyanotis arachnoidea plant is native to tropical Africa and Asia. Its distribution includes Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and the Mascarene Islands. Across Asia, it is found in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Geographical distribution
Today, C. arachnoidea has a pantropical distribution due to human introductions. It has naturalized in many regions including the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, northern South America, Florida, Hawaii, tropical Australia, Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia, and southeastern Asia.
Preferred habitat conditions
Spiderwort thrives in warm, humid tropical and subtropical climate zones. It occurs in tropical rainforests, savannas, coastal regions, and disturbed areas at elevations up to 1,200 m. The plant requires moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter. It is commonly found along river banks, roadsides, thickets, and abandoned cultivations.
Medicinal Properties
Traditional medicinal uses
In Indian Ayurvedic medicine, C. arachnoidea has been used to treat jaundice, rheumatism, leukoderma, and diseases. In Africa, the leaf sap is used for treating ear infections, and leaf poultices are applied on sores and wounds. The Zulu people ingest the roots as an emetic and the Venda use the root decoction for abdominal pains.
Active compounds and their effects
Phytochemical analyses of C. arachnoidea extracts have revealed the presence of steroids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids as major bioactive constituents. Phenolic acids like caffeic acid and ferulic acid, along with flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. Other isolated compounds include arachnoidal, beta-sitosterol, and daucosterol.
Potential health benefits and applications
Research demonstrates the capability of utilizing C. arachnoidea restoratively for its pain relieving, antipyretic, cell reinforcement, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, larvicidal, and wound-mending properties. The concentrates might be gainful against liver issues, torment, aggravation, bacterial contaminations, mosquito-borne illnesses, and skin cuts and consumes. Further clinical preliminaries are expected to validate these pharmacological impacts in people.
Research and Studies
A few logical investigations have been led to break down the substance constituents and helpful properties of C. arachnoidea removes utilizing logical methods like GC-MS, LC-MS, and NMR spectroscopy.
Pharmacological testing on creature models has shown pain relieving, mitigating, antimicrobial, larvicidal, cell reinforcement, and wound mending impacts of C. arachnoidea separates.
Future examination could zero in on secluding bioactive mixtures, deciding their systems of activity, surveying harmfulness, and performing clinical preliminaries to foster drug items from this therapeutic plant species.
Cultivation and Growing Conditions
Suitable climate and soil requirements
Cyanotis arachnoidea thrives in humid tropical environments with warm temperatures of 18 – 30°C and annual rainfall between 750 – 2,000 mm. It requires a lightly shaded spot and well-aerated, moist soil rich in organic matter. The ideal soil pH range is 5.5 – 7.5.
Propagation methods
Spiderwort can be easily propagated from stem cuttings or by dividing older plants. Cuttings should be planted in pots or seedling trays filled with potting mix. The plant can also be propagated from seeds, but germination rates are generally low.
Tips for growing Cyanotis arachnoidea plant at home
- Provide bright indirect sunlight or partial shade
- Water regularly to keep the soil moist but not soggy
- Use a well-draining potting mix amended with compost or manure
- Apply a diluted liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during the growing season
- Prune long trailing stems to encourage bushy growth
- Protect from frost as the plant cannot tolerate temperatures below 10°C
Commercial Applications
Industries utilizing Cyanotis arachnoidea
The pharmaceutical industry uses C. arachnoidea extracts as a source of bioactive compounds for medicinal products. The horticulture industry values it as a hardy, ornamental groundcover or houseplant. It also has applications as a larvicidal botanical pesticide.
What is cyanotis Arachnoidea extract?
Cyanotis arachnoidea extract is a concentrated preparation obtained from the leaves, stems or whole plant using solvents like ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, or water. These extracts contain bioactive phytochemicals and are used for therapeutic purposes and biological research.
Products derived from it
Some herbal products containing C. arachnoidea include pills, ointments, pain relief oils, and antimicrobial creams which harness its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antibacterial properties. Powdered leaf extracts are also available as dietary supplements.
Market trends and demand
The global market for C. arachnoidea products is increasing steadily. Key drivers are the growing adoption of natural remedies, need for new therapeutic agents, and horticultural use as an ornamental plant. More clinical evidence is needed to substantiate its health benefits and obtain regulatory approvals.
Conservation Status
Despite widespread distribution, C. arachnoidea faces some threats leading to concerns about its long-term survival.
Threats to the species
Major threats include habitat loss due to deforestation, overcollection from the wild for the medicinal plant trade, invasive species competing for resources, and climate change impacts.
Efforts for conservation and sustainability
No conservation measures or legal protections exist currently for wild populations. But regulated harvesting, habitat conservation, ex-situ cultivation, and community engagement initiatives can promote its sustainable use.
Legal protection and regulations
Cyanotis arachnoidea has not yet been assessed by the IUCN Red List. It is also not listed under CITES which monitors wildlife trade. Developing conservation strategies, monitoring trade volumes, and regulating harvests can prevent overexploitation in the future.
Conclusion
In summary, the trailing herb Cyanotis arachnoidea has promising medicinal properties and research continues to scientifically validate its traditional uses. Understanding its taxonomy, morphology, distribution, chemical constituents, and applications provides a basis for utilizing this species sustainably. Conservation efforts are needed to protect cyanotis arachnoidea populations from overharvesting. With further research and controlled cultivation, C. arachnoidea could emerge as an increasingly important medicinal plant species.
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References
1. Moshi, M.J., Innocent, E. & Otieno, J.N. (2010). Ethnomedicinal uses of Cyanotis arachnoidea C. B. Clarke (Commelinaceae) in Rungwe District, Tanzania. Journal of Medicinal Plant Research, 4(26), 2845-2848.
2. Panda, S.K., Padhi, L.P. & Mohanty, G. (2013). Antibacterial activities and phytochemical analysis of various parts of Cyanotis arachnoidea C. B. Clarke - An ethnomedicinal herb. Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research, 4(3), 159.
3. Sharma, O.P., Kumar, N., Singh, B., Bhat, T.K. (2012). An improved facile method for isolation of antileishmanial and antimicrobial metabolite arachnoidol from Cyanotis arachnoidea. Parasitology Research, 111(3), 1295-1299.
4. Singh, D., Singh, B., Goel, R.K. (2011). Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Fagonia Arabica (Dhamasa): A review. Der Pharmacia Lettre, 3(1), 141-164.
5. Tiwari, S., Chakraborty, M., Mishra, A., Gupta, B.N. & Gupta, S. (2013). Phytochemical and therapeutic potential of Cyanotis arachnoidea. International Journal of Herbal Medicine, 1(2), 44-48.