Dalbergia sissoo - an important medicinal plant

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IJRPC 2013, 3(2) Sudhakar et al. ISSN: 22312781
384
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PHARMACY AND CHEMISTRY
Available online at www.ijrpc.com
DALBERGIA SISSOO
DC.
- AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANT
M. Bharath, E. Laxmi Rama Tulasi, K. Sudhakar* and M. Chinna Eswaraiah
Department of Pharmacognosy, Anurag Pharmacy College, Ananthagiri (V) - 508206,
Kodad (M), Nalgonda (Dt), Andhra Pradesh, India.
INTRODUCTION
Herbal drugs are used in traditional methods of
treating the diseases worldwide. Several types
of medicinal plants are existing in the nature and
are effective in treating different type of
diseases.1 Herbal medicine is a triumph of
popular therapeutic diversity. In recent times
there has been a tremendous increase in the
use of plant based health products in developing
as well as developed countries, resulting in an
exponential growth of herbal products
globally.2The genus consists of 300 species
among which 25 species occur in India. Many
species of Dalbergia are important timber trees,
valued for their decorative and often fragrant
wood, rich in aromatic oils3. The most famous of
these are the rosewoods, so-named because of
the smell, but several other valuable woods are
yielded by the genus4. The generic name
Dalbergia honors the Swedish brothers Nils and
Carl Dalberg, who lived in the 18th century. The
plant is native to India5; it is the state tree of
Punjab (India). The tree has many reputed
medicinal properties and has been used
culturally for a variety of ailments. The
temperature in its native range averages 10–40
°C (50–104 °F), but varies from just below
freezing to nearly 50 °C (122 °F). It can
withstand average annual rainfall of 500 to 2,000
mm (79 in) and droughts of 3–4 months. Soils
range from pure sand and gravel to rich alluvium
of river banks, sissoo can grow in slightly saline
soils. Seedlings are intolerant of shade.6
Fig. 1: Dalbergia sissoo DC
Re
view
Article
ABSTRACT
Nature has been a good source of medicinal agents for thousands of years and an impressive
number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources, many based on their use in
traditional medicine. Various medicinal plants have been used for years in daily life to treat diseases
all over the world. The present study reveals the medicinal values of Dalbergia sissoo DC.
(Fabaceae). In this communication, we reviewed the Phytochemistry and its applications in the
treatment of various ailments. The genus consists of 300 species among which 25 species occur in
India. The generic name Dalbergia honors the Swedish brothers Nils and Carl Dalberg, who lived in
the 18th century. The plant is used in treatment of leprosy, jaundice, gonorrhea and syphilis etc.
Keywords: Dalbergia sissoo DC. Fabaceae, Phytochemistry, Jaundice, Leprosy.

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TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION7-9
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Tribe: Dalbergieae
Genus: Dalbergia
Species: D. sissoo
Binomial name: Dalbergia sissoo DC.
SYNONYMS4
Amerimnon sissoo (Roxb.) Kuntze
Amerimnon P.Browne
Coroya Pierre
Ecastaphyllum P.Browne
Miscolobium Vogel
Triptolemea Mart.
COMMON NAMES10-12
Sanskrit: Shinshapa, aguru
English: Indian Rosewood, Bombay blackwood
Hindi: Shisham ,sissu ,sissai , sisam
Tamil: Sisso, gette
Kannada: Beeti, shista baage, agaru, bindi
Bengali: Shishu
French: Ébénier juane
Arabic: Arabic
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
Dalbergia sissoo DC is a medium to large tree of
about 25 meters high with grey-yellow trunk,
longitudinal crack, and downcast twig. Leaves
are leathery, pinnately compound, with about
five alternate leaflets. Leaf stalk (petiole)
measures about 15 cm long, each leaflet widest
at the base, to 6 cm long with a fine pointed tip.
Fig. 2: Trunk
Fig. 3: Compound leaves and immature fruits
Flowers are whitish to pink, fragrant, nearly
sessile, up to 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long and in dense
clusters 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) in length. Pods are
oblong, flat, thin, strap-like 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in)
long, 1 cm (0.39 in) wide and light brown. They
contain 1–5 flat bean-shaped seeds 8–10 mm
(0.31–0.39 in) long.
Figure 4: Flowers
They have a long taproot and numerous surface
roots which produce suckers. Young shoots are
downy and drooping, established stems with
light brown to dark grey bark up to 2.5 cm
(0.98 in) thick, shed in narrow strips, large upper
branches support a spreading crown. The plant
has ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere
through bacteria located in nodules present in
the root system. The leaf litter that accumulates
and decomposes also contributes to soil fertility
by adding additional nitrogen, potassium, iron,
manganese, and organic carbon. Propagation is
done by seeds and also by root suckers. Various
parts of the plant are used as medicines.
FLOWERING PERIOD7 : March - May
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION11, 13, 14
Dalbergia sissoo is found in tropical to
subtropical climates in natural and planted
forests, very widely distributed in Pakistan, India,
Afghanistan, Persia, Iraq, Kenya and Tanzania.

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TRADITIONAL USES15
Various parts of Dalbergia sissoo are
traditionally used in treating different diseases
and are mentioned below.
Seeds: Sissoo oil is used to treat blue itching,
burning on the skin, and scabies.
Leaves: Finely ground paste of 8-10 leaves of
sissoo and 25gm of palm candy taken in the
morning alleviates profuse menstruation. 50-100
ml decoction of the leaves taken thrice in a day
is useful in Painful micturition and to cure boils
and pimples. 10-15 ml juice (leaves) taken thrice
in a day helps in eliminating pus in urine and in
treating jaundice. The leaves warmed and tied
on breast, and consuming the decoction of the
leaves removes swelling of the breast.
Bark: 3-6gm powdered bark or decoction of the
leaves is helpful in gonorrhea. Decoction of the
bark and leaf is given in leprosy. Make a
decoction of 10gm sissoo bark with 500gm of
water and it should be boiled till the liquid
reduces to half. Mix the juice of the bark and
consume for forty days every morning which
helps in leprosy.
Sissoo nectar: Take 20gm of Sissoo nectar,
320gm water, and 160 gm milk. Boil it till only
milk remains. Consume 3 times a day. This milk
cures any type of fever.
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS16
Leaves: Isoflavone-O-glycoside.
Flowers: Biochenin A, tectorigenin, 7, 4
dimethyle tectorigenin and 7-O- methyle
tectorigenin.
Green pods: Mesoinisitol, 7-O- methyle
tectorigenin and 4’-rhamnoglucoside.
Mature pods: Isocaviumin, tectorigenin,
dalbergin, caviunin and tannins.
Stem bark: Dalberginone, dalbergin, methyl
dalbergin and dalbergichromene.
Heartwood: Dalbergin, nordalberginones,
dalbergichromene, fixid oil and essential oils.
USES17, 18, 19
Ayurveda: Leaf juice for eye ailments,
considering the wood and bark as abortifacient,
anthelmintic, antipyretic, aphrodisiac,
expectorant, and refrigerant. The wood and bark
for anal disorders, blood diseases, burning
sensations, dysentery, dyspepsia, leucoderma,
and skin ailments.
Yunani: The wood for blood disorders, burning
sensations, eye and nose disorders, scabies,
scalding urine, stomach problems, and syphilis.
The alterative wood is used in India for boils,
eruptions, leprosy and nausea.
Different parts such as roots, bark, wood, leaves
and seeds are being used as remedy in many
diseases including skin diseases, blood
diseases, syphilis, stomach problems,
dysentery, nausea, eye and nose disorders,
aphrodisiac, expectorant. Leaf extract has been
used to treat sore throats, heart problems,
dysentery, syphilis, and gonorrhea. In India and
Nepal rural people use Dalbergia sissoo leaves
to treat animals suffering from non-specific
diarrhoea.
Herbal preparation of Dalbergia sissoo and
Datura stramoium with cow urine can be used
as a potent antiseptic preparation for prevention
and treatment of chronic bacterial infections.
People use twigs of sissoo to clean their teeth,
root is astringent.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE
RESEARCH AREA OF DALBERGIA SISSOO
Mohammad Asif et al conducted a study in
2009, Anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic
extract of Dalbergia sissoo (Roxb.) bark. It can
be concluded that the ethanolic extract of
Dalbergia sissoo bark at 1000 mg/kg showed
the most potent anti-inflammatory activity
compared to the other groups (300 and 500
mg/kg) throughout the observation period. 20
Mohammad Asif et al conducted a study in
2011, phytochemical investigation and
evaluation of anti-nociceptive activity of
ethanolic extract of Dalbergia sissoo (Roxb.)
bark. They concluded that (300, 500 and 1000
mg/kg) doses of extract exhibited significant and
dose dependent anti-nociceptive activity which
may be due to presence of flavanoids.21
Harsha Kharkwal et al conducted a study in
2012, Anti-termite activity of heartwood of
Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Ex.Dc. It concluded that
the plant extracts can be used as an alternative
for synthetic pesticides for termite control in
buildings.22
Pankaj singh niranjan et al conducted a study
in 2010; Anti-diabetic activity of ethanolic extract
of Dalbergia sissoo L. leaves in alloxan induced
diabetic rats. They concluded that the ethanolic
extract of the Dalbergia sissoo leaves are 12%
more effective in reducing the BGL compared to
standard Glibenclamide.23
Jaspreet Kaur Sidana et al conducted a study
in 2012, Analgesic and anti-inflammatory
activities of Dalbergia sissoo leaves extract.
They concluded that the extract possesses both
analgesic and anti- inflammatory properties.24
Mallinath H. Hugar et al conducted a study in
2010, phytochemical and pharmacological

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387
studies of ethanol extract of Dalbergia sissoo
seeds. An approach for the in-vivo analgesic
and antipyretic activities. It concluded that
Dalbergia sissoo seeds extract has moderate
analgesic and remarkable antipyretic activities.25
Nitinkumar Upwar et al conducted a study in
2011, Evaluation of anti-helminthic activity of
Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. The study indicated the
potential usefulness of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.
against helminthic infections.26
Neeraj S. Vyawahare et al Conducted a study
in 2012, Anti-diabetic Evaluation of Dalbergia
sissoo against alloxan induced diabetes mellitus
in wistar albino rats. They concluded that
ethanolic extract of Dalbergia sissoo bark
possesses significant anti-diabetic activity.27
Arvinder Kaur et al conducted a study in 2011,
Evaluation of antioxidant potential of stem bark
extract of Dalbergia sissoo. Finally results
shown, among the different extracts of stem
bark of the plant Dalbergia sissoo, chloroform
extract possesses marked antioxidant activity,
whereas methanolic extract shown moderate
activity in different in vitro anti-oxidant assays.28
Shazia Sultana et al conducted a survey on,
Indigenous knowledge of folk herbal medicines
by the women of district Chakwal, Pakistan. This
survey describes that, crush the leaves and
boiled in water and the filtrate obtained is used
to wash hair for removing dandruff and for long
hair.29
S Chandra et al conducted a study on Anti-
inflammatory activity of Dalbergia sissoo leaves.
They concluded that the D. sissoo leaf extract
possessed significant anti-inflammatory activity
(in acute, sub-acute and chronic models of
inflammation) without any side effects on gastric
mucosa.30
LIST OF SPECIES OF IN DALBERGIA GENUS7, 31
1 (Rosewood) D. abrahamii 26 (Bombay Blackwood) D. latifolia
2 (Burmese Rosewood) D. bariensis 27 (Bois de Rose) D. maritima
3 (Palisander) D. baronii 28 (African Blackwood) D. melanoxylon
4 (Caroba-Brava) D. brasiliensis 29 (Canela-De-Burro) D. miscolobium
5 (Brown's Indian Rosewood) D. brownei 30 (Rosewood) D. mollis
6 (Granadillo) D. calycina
31 (Bejuco De Peseta) D. monetaria
7 (Dalbergia) D. candenatensis
32 (Bahia Rosewood) D. nigra
8 (Jacarand) D. catingicola 33 (Fragrant Rosewood) D. odorifera
9
(Brazilian Kingwood)
D. cearensis
34
(Burma Rosewood)
D. oliveri
10
(Rose Wood)
D. cochinchinensis
35
(Dalbergia)
D. palauensis
11 (Granadillo) D. cubilquitzensis 36 (Dalbergia) D. palauensis
12 (Burma Blackwood) D. cultrata
37 (Akar Laka) D. parviflora
13 (Burma Blackwood) D. cultrata var. cultrata
38 (Nambar) D. retusa var. retusa
14 (Bastiao-De-Arruda) D. decipularis
39 (Rabo-De-Guariba) D. riparia
15 (Bejuco De Peseta) D. ecastaphyllum 40 (Malabar Blackwood) D. sissoides
16 (Mussuta) D. elegans 41 (Indian Rosewood) D. sissoo
17 (Jacarand -Rosa) D. foliolosa 42 (Sabuarana) D. spruceana
18 (Jacarandá-Rosa) D. frutescens
43 (Rosewood) D. stevensonii
19 (Pau-De-Estribo) D. frutescens var. frutescens 44 (Ver“nica) D. subcymosa
20 (Jacarand -Rosa) D. frutescens var. tomentosa
45 (Rosewood) D. trichocarpa
21 (Ebano) D. funera
46 (Dalbergia) D. tucurensis
22
(Tripa-De-Galinha)
D. gracilis
47
(Heliotropio)
D. villosa
23 (Sebastiao-De-Arruda) D. hortensis 48 (Heliotropio) D. villosa var. barretoana
24
(Jacaranda)
D. inundata
49
(Rosewood)
D. xerophila
25 (Shisham) D. lanceolaria
50 (Yucatan Rosewood) D.yucatensis
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are thankful to the management of Anurag
pharmacy college, Kodad, Nalgonda, A.P, India,
for providing all facilities during this work.
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