Phytochemical Properties and Therapeutic Applications of Cissus Species

Phytochemical investigations of Cissus species have revealed a rich repertoire of natural products encompassing polyphenols, flavonoids, stilbenes, terpenoids and phytosterols. Species such as Cissus quadrangularis, C. assamica, C. trifoliata and C. sicyoides have yielded compounds including quercetin, resveratrol, β-sitosterol, campesterol, myricetin and betulinic acid. This chemical diversity has been attributed to the genus’s adaptation to varied ecological niches across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Modern analytical techniques have enabled the isolation and structural elucidation of triterpenes, steroids, tannins, glycosides and saponins, many of which occur in distinct solvent fractions of stem, leaf and root material.

The therapeutic applications of Cissus extracts span bone regeneration and fracture healing, antioxidant and free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal actions, antimicrobial and cardioprotective effects, as well as anticancer and cytotoxic activities against diverse tumour cell lines. Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies supports the use of C. quadrangularis in modulating osteoblastic activity and enhancing mineralisation, while other species have demonstrated inhibition of proinflammatory mediators and improvement of lipid profiles. Pharmacokinetic and stability data for key stilbenes and flavonoids have begun to inform dosage optimisation and formulation design. Overall, Cissus species represent a globally significant resource for phytotherapeutic development and warrant further translational research.

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Phytochemical Properties and Therapeutic Applications of Cissus Species publication trend

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Technical terms

LC-MS/MS: Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, a technique for separation and quantification of complex mixtures.

Polyphenols: A class of plant secondary metabolites characterised by multiple phenolic units, including flavonoids and stilbenes.

Flavonoids: Polyphenolic compounds with a 15-carbon skeleton, known for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Stilbenes: A subclass of polyphenols comprised of a trans-1,2-diphenylethylene backbone, exemplified by resveratrol.

Phytosterols: Plant-derived sterols structurally similar to cholesterol, implicated in membrane function and lipid-lowering effects.

IC₅₀: The concentration of a substance required to inhibit a biological process by 50 per cent.

References

1. Simultaneous Estimation of Quercetin and trans-Resveratrol in Cissus quadrangularis Extract in Rat Serum Using Validated LC-MS/MS Method: Application to Pharmacokinetic and Stability Studies. Molecules (2023).
2. LC/MS guided identification of metabolites of different extracts of Cissus quadrangularis. Food Chemistry Advances (2022).
3. The Constituents of the Stems of Cissus assamica and Their Bioactivities. Molecules (2018).
4. Cissus sicyoides: Pharmacological Mechanisms Involved in the Anti-Inflammatory and Antidiarrheal Activities. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2016).
5. Metabolic Profile and Evaluation of Biological Activities of Extracts from the Stems of Cissus trifoliata. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2020).
6. Qualitative Analysis on the Phytochemical Compounds and Total Phenolic Content of Cissus hastata (Semperai) Leaf Extract. International Journal of Plant Biology (2022).