Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

A Comprehensive Review of Salacia reticulata: Botanical, Ethnomedicinal, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Insights

D. S. H. S. Peiris, D. T. K. Fernando, S. P. N. N. Senadeera, C. B. Ranaweera

Asian Plant Research Journal · pp. 27–43 · Published 1 Nov 2023

10.9734/aprj/2023/v11i6228

Abstract

Salacia reticulata (HIPPOCRATEACEAE) is a large ligneous climber or scandent shrub held by Sri Lanka, the Andaman Islands, and south India. It is known as Kothala himbutu/Himbutu wel in Sinhalese and is well-known among natives for its extensive use in diabetes treatment, a chronic condition impacting carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism due to insulin secretion deficiencies, with or without insulin resistance. It is also employed in remedies for various ailments, including asthma, amenorrhea, itching and other skin problems, gonorrhoea, haemorrhoids, swellings, and obesity. Key antidiabetic compounds within S. reticulata are recognized, such as salacinol and kotalanol (from both roots and stems), and mangiferin (root-derived). Additionally, the plant's roots contain diverse chemical constituents like 1,3-diketones, 26-hydroxy-1,3-friedelanedione, 30-hydroxy-20(30) dihydroisoiguesterin, dulcitol, epicatechin, glycosidal tannins, hydroxyferruginol, iguesterin, kotalagenin 16-acetate, lambertic acid, leucopelargonidin, phlobatannin, and triterpenes, collectively contributing to its therapeutic potential. Salacia's antidiabetic effects are considered to stem primarily from its capacity to inhibit intestinal enzymes, specifically α-glucosidase and α-amylase, delaying glucose absorption and enhancing blood sugar control. Furthermore, the Salacia extracts have appeared to be very safe in vivo and in vitro experiments, and human use. The purpose of the current study is to review the botanical, ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, and pharmacological data on Salacia reticulata while assessing the evidence pertaining to in vitro, animal, and human studies for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-oxidant, and anti-hyperlipidaemic effects. 

Salacia reticulate ethnomedicinal phytochemical anti-diabetic anti-obesity kothala himbutu Sri Lanka

References (47)

  1. 1 Adiponectin and Metabolic Syndrome [DOI]
  2. 2 Mini-Special Issue paper Management of diabetic patients with hypoglycemic agents α-Glucosidase inhibitors and their use in clinical practice [DOI]
  3. 3 Kotalanol, a Potent a-Glucosidase Inhibitor with Thiosugar Sulfonium Sulfate Structure, from Antidiabetic Ayurvedic Medicine Salacia reticulata. [DOI]
  4. 4 Salacia reticulata and Its Polyphenolic Constituents with Lipase Inhibitory and Lipolytic Activities Have Mild Antiobesity Effects in Rats [DOI]
  5. 5 New Glucosidase Inhibitors from an Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes: Structures and Inhibition of Human Intestinal Maltase-Glucoamylase with Compounds from Salacia reticulata [DOI]
  6. 6 Antidiabetic Medicinal Plants and Herbal Treatments [DOI]
  7. 7 Polyphenol Constituents from Salacia Species: Quantitative Analysis of Mangiferin with α-Glucosidase and Aldose Reductase Inhibitory Activities [DOI]
  8. 8 Hepatoprotective and Antioxidative Properties of Salacia reticulata: Preventive Effects of Phenolic Constituents on CCl4-Induced Liver Injury in Mice. [DOI]
  9. 9 Structures of New Friedelane-Type Triterpenes and Eudesmane-Type Sesquiterpene and Aldose Reductase Inhibitors from Salacia chinensis [DOI]
  10. 10 A Mixture of the Salacia reticulata (Kotala himbutu) Aqueous Extract and Cyclodextrin Reduces the Accumulation of Visceral Fat Mass in Mice and Rats with High-Fat Diet–Induced Obesity [DOI]
  11. 11 Mangiferin from Salacia chinensis Prevents Oxidative Stress and Protects Pancreatic β -Cells in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats [DOI]
  12. 12 Naturally Occurring Sulfonium-Ion Glucosidase Inhibitors and Their Derivatives: A Promising Class of Potential Antidiabetic Agents [DOI]
  13. 13 Safety evaluation of an extract from Salacia oblonga [DOI]
  14. 14 Effects of a Diet Containing Salacia reticulata on Mild Type 2 Diabetes in Humans. A Placebo-controlled, Cross-over Trial. [DOI]
  15. 15 Salacinol and Related Analogs: New Leads for Type 2 Diabetes Therapeutic Candidates from the Thai Traditional Natural Medicine Salacia chinensis [DOI]
  16. 16 Quantitative determination of potent α-glucosidase inhibitors, salacinol and kotalanol, in Salacia species using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry [DOI]
  17. 17 Hypoglycemic Effect of 13-Membered Ring Thiocyclitol, a Novel α-Glucosidase Inhibitor from Kothala-himbutu (Salacia reticulata) [DOI]
  18. 18 A review of antidiabetic active thiosugar sulfoniums, salacinol and neokotalanol, from plants of the genus Salacia [DOI]
  19. 19 Anti-Diabetic Activity of a Leaf Extract Prepared fromSalacia reticulatain Mice [DOI]
  20. 20 Salacia reticulata (Kothala himbutu) revisited; a missed opportunity to treat diabetes and obesity? [DOI]
  21. 21 Salacia reticulata Improves Serum Lipid Profiles and Glycemic Control in Patients with Prediabetes and Mild to Moderate Hyperlipidemia: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial [DOI]
  22. 22 Phytochemical Screening for Medicinal Plants: Guide for Extraction Methods [DOI]
  23. 23 Mirabilis jalapa Linn.: A Folklore Ayurvedic Medicinal Plant in Sri Lanka [DOI]
  24. 24 Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Salacia reticulata, a Useful Plant in Sri Lanka, on Postprandial Hyperglycemia in Rats and Humans. [DOI]
  25. 25 Mechanisms of blood glucose-lowering effect of aqueous extract from stems of Kothala himbutu (Salacia reticulata) in the mouse [DOI]
  26. 26 The Ayurvedic Medicine Salacia oblonga Attenuates Diabetic Renal Fibrosis in Rats: Suppression of Angiotensin II/AT1 Signaling [DOI]
  27. 27 Antidiabetogenic constituents from Salacia species
  28. 28 Evaluation of Salacia Species as Anti‐diabetic Natural Resources Based on Quantitative Analysis of Eight Sulphonium Constituents: A New Class of α‐Glucosidase Inhibitors [DOI]
  29. 29 Salacia reticulata has therapeutic effects on obesity [DOI]
  30. 30 Hypoglycemic Activity of the Root and Stem ofSalacia reticulata. var. β-diandra. in Alloxan Diabetic Rats [DOI]
  31. 31 Proanthocyanidin Oligomers Isolated from Salacia reticulata leaves potently Inhibit Pancreatic Lipase Activity [DOI]
  32. 32 Safety Evaluation of the Aqueous Extract Kothala Himbutu (Salacia reticulata) Stem in the Hepatic Gene Expression Profile of Normal Mice Using DNA Microarrays [DOI]
  33. 33 Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Endemic Jeffreycia zeylanica Plant Found in Sri Lanka [DOI]
  34. 34 Adverse pregnancy outcome in rats following exposure to a Salacia reticulata (Celastraceae) root extract [DOI]
  35. 35 Metabolic disease prevention and suppression of fat accumulation by Salacia reticulata [DOI]
  36. 36 Effects of the Sri Lankan medicinal plant, Salacia reticulata, in rheumatoid arthritis [DOI]
  37. 37 Complementary Treatment of Obesity and Overweight with Salacia Reticulata and Vitamin D [DOI]
  38. 38 Immobilization Technology [DOI]
  39. 39 Clitoria ternatea - Shifting Paradigms: From Laboratory to Industry [DOI]
  40. 40 Lack of in vitro antihyaluronidase activity of methanolic leaf extract of Indigofera tinctoria L and methanolic stem bark extract of Stereospermum suaveolens DC [DOI]
  41. 41 Rich Diversity & Potential Medicinal Value of Endemic Sri Lankan Plant: Jeffreycia zeylanica [DOI]
  42. 42 The effect of Salacia reticulata, Syzygium cumini, Artocarpus heterophyllus, and Cassia auriculata on controlling the rapid formation of advanced glycation end-products [DOI]
  43. 43 Aqueous Extract of Kotahla Himbutu (Salacia reticulata) Stems Promotes Oxygen Comsumption and Supresses Body Fat Accumulation in Mice [DOI]
  44. 44 Antigenicity and Phototoxicity of Water-soluble Extract from Salacia reticulata (Celastraceae). [DOI]
  45. 45 Safety Standards and Antimicrobial Activity of Root of Salacia reticulata [DOI]
  46. 46 Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results [DOI]
  47. 47 [Studies on chemical constituents of Salacia prinoides].

Cited by 10

In vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Leaves of Jeffreycia zeylanica Using the Egg Albumin Denaturation Method and Human Red Blood Cell Stabilization Method

Thummini Samaraweera, Thumuli Samaraweera, Nimesha N. Senadeera, Chathuranga B. Ranaweera · Asian Plant Research Journal · 2023

Therapeutic Potential of Carica papaya Linn.: A Comprehensive Review of Its Pharmacological Properties and Health Benefits, with Emphasis on Dengue Fever Healing

D. T. K. Fernando, D. S. H. S. Peiris, S. P. N. N. Senadeera, C. B. Ranaweera · Asian Plant Research Journal · 2024

Salacia fruticosa methanol extract pretreatment attenuates scopolamine-induced cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease-related pathology in zebrafish

Praveen Kumar Pasala, DSNBK Prasanth, Siva Prasad Panda · Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine · 2025

Showing 4 of 10 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

90

Page views

0

PDF downloads

6

Outbound clicks

10

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.