Review of Literature

Zanthoxylum armatum DC (local name - Timur) (Family – Rutaceace) is an endangered

medicinal plant of Himalayan region, important medicinal plant which is known an Indian
Prickly Ash, Nepal Pepper or toothache tree. The plant distributed in Himalayan region, from
Kashmir to Bhutan at an altitudes up to 2500 m. Z.armatum is used mainly in the India system
of medicine as carminative, stomache, toothache, fever, dyspepsia and expelling roundworms.
Essential oils of Z.armatum exhibit good antibacterial, antifungal and anthelmintics activities. A
wide variety of chemical compound including alkaloids, flavonoids, sterols, triterpenoids have
been found in this plant.

 Current status
Population of Z.armatum has remarkably decreased in the past year. Its regeneration in nature
through seed is reportedly poor and propagation through stem cuttings is also difficult. To date,
there are no reports of its cultivation in India (Kala 2010). The main cause being the over
exploitation and habitat destruction. Poor generation is also major cause for its low survival in
nature (Purohit et al., 2015). Its unsustainable harvesting for local and commercial use has also
affected its population density to fall under “endangered” category.

 Distribution
The trees of Z.armatum are widely distributed in whole of the world. The various countries like
china, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Bhutan Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, and
Indonesia also contains the tree of timur. It is found in the valley of Himalayas from Jammu to
Bhutan at altitudes 1,000- 2100m asl and is also found in the eastern Ghats of Orissa and
Andhra Pradesh around 1200 m, asl and in the lesser Himalayan ranges in North Eastern parts
of India (Gaur 1999). Z.armatum is one of the six species reported from the Indian Himalayan
region and out of eleven species found in India (Hooker 1875).

 Botanical Distribution
It is a dioeciously shrub to large tree, and characterized by sharp thorns on either the stem or
dense foliage. It grows up to 6.0-7.0 m in height, with alternate branches leaves are compound,
imparipinnate with 3-7 foliate and pellucidpunctate. Petiole and rachis are winged. The
branches are armed with thorns of up to 2 cm. Flowers born auxiliary, minute and polygamous.
Calyx 6-8-acute, lobed, petals absent. Male flowers with 6-8 stamens with rudimentary ovary
and female flowers with 1-3 carpels. Over 1-3 locular. Fruit small drupes with red colour,
splitting into two when ripe. Seed are rounded and shining black. Seeds of other Zanthhoxylum
species also have low germination (Frances 2004) attributed to hard seed coat, improper seed
setting, seed predation by insects, and presence of oily seed coat. Although scarification (by
physical or chemical means) and treatment with plant growth regulators are known to
influence seed germination in several species its fruits and seeds are edible and used as
potherb species. Z armatum grows best on sites with deep, moist soils that are also exposed to
the sun (Bharti et al., 2015). This is reflected in the occurrence of many shrubs or small trees
around cultivated farmland.

 Medicinal Uses
Z armatum is used locally as medicinal plants and fuel wood species. Fruits and seeds are edible
and used as potherb species. The plant is used for pneumonia and tick infestation. Young
shoots are used as toothbrush and useful for curing gum diseases Fruit is used for toothache,
dyspepsia, as a carminative and stomach ache. Seeds are used as condiment and flavouring
agent. Wood is used to make walking sticks. Powdered fruit is mixed wit menthe species and
table salt, eaten with boiled egg for chest infection and digestive problems. The fruit and seeds
are used as an aromatic tonic for fever and dyspepsia. Seeds are used for condiment and
flavouring agent. An extract of the fruits is reported to be effective in expelling roundworms.
Because of their deodorant, disinfectant, and antiseptic properties, the fruit are also used to
treatdental problems, and their lotion is used against scabies.

Steam distillation of dried fruits yields an essential oil that has deodorant and antiseptic
properties; it is used in soaps and dental preparations. The oil obtained by steam distillation of
the fresh plant shows antifungal activity. The bark is pungent and used to clean teeth. Due to its
appealing aroma and valuable perfume is used in the manufacture of several health-care
products. Most of this manufacturing takes place in india, which therefore has a well-
established commercial outlet for dried fruits.

 Chemical Constituents
Several alkaloids have been isolated from the stem-bark and root-bark. The fruits of this species
yielded essential oil. A number of alkaloids has been isolated and reported from the various
parts of the Z armatum berberine (bark), dictamnine (stem-bark), manofluorie90.02% as
picrate), xanthoplanine (0.01% as picrate) (wood and bark), manofluorie (0.17% as picrate),
xanthoplanine, skimmianine, dictamnine and- fagarine (Wealth of india 2005.)

A new amide designated as armatamide along with two lignans, asarinin and fargesin, a- and B-
amyrins lupeol, and B-sitosterol-B-D-glucoside- has been isolated from the bark of timur. The
structure of the new compound was deduced by spectral and chemical analysis as N-(4’-
methoxy cinnamoyl amide.
 Biological Importance
Z. armatum has a number of biological activities which are reported to be useful. The extracts
from the plants are used as digestive appetizer, cure of asthma and bronchitis throat disorder,
dyspepsia,diarrhea teliminate pain and treat heart diseases, piles diseases of mouth, and teeth
(Medhi et al., 2013).

Its different biological activities are:

 Antioxidants activities
 Hepatoprotective activity
 Actinomorphic and anticonvulsant activities
 Antipyretic and central nervous system activity
 Skin sensitivity
 Antitumor activity

 Antimicrobial Evaluation
The fruits extract of Z armatum has been tested for their antibacterial activity against S. aureus,
E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and shigella boydii. This ethanlic exract was inactive against P.
aerginosa, while showed positive activity on the othe tree strains. These results indicate that
the ethanolic extract from fruits of z armatum may have broad spectrum antibacterial activity
because it shows activity against gram- positive and Gram-negative (Vashisht et a., 2008).

 Propagation Study
It is generally propagated through seeds, but occasionally through soft wood cuttings and air
layering. The natural germination was reported to be poor in Z armatum 9 Purohit et a., 2014).
The seeds wased with soap solution remove oil from the seed coat and improve germination
capacity up to 29% with a mean germination time of 8.5 weeks; (okey et al., 2011) in the in-
vitro propagation of Z armatum, there were amny challenges to overcome for successful
germination.

In indis, study on in-vitro propagation using leaf explants and subsequment regeneration of
shoots through callus (bisht and bhandari, 2007) is available. Along with this successful study on
the propagation and genetic variability of Z armatum was carried out by (Purohit et al., 2016).

 Commercial Value
With the increase in demand in demand in various pharmaceutical industries like dabur india
Ltd. Patanjali Ayurveda ltd etc. the price of timur in the market has certainly increased in the
past years from rs. 45 to 200 per kg (Kala et al., 2005). It is mainly used for preparation of
toothpaste and toothpowfers.