Phyto medical benefits of Litchi

Phyto medical benefits of Litchi

Litchi chinensis(lychee/litchi) is rich source of phytochemicals procyanidin, malvidin glycoside, epicatechins, kaempferol, rutin, stigmasterol, saponins, isolariciresinol and leucocyanidin. It’s nutraceutical and pharmacological importance is well known now.

It is evergreen tree mainly cultivated in the south east Asian countries, Australia, Mexico and southern African countries.

Medical Pharmacological importance

1.It’s methanol and chloroform leaf extract have protective effects on paracetamol induced liver damage and helps potential hepatoprotection normalising all biochemical parameters like SGOT, SGPT, SALP, bilirubin, cholesterol and triglycerides.

2.It’s leaf extract of hydroalcohol helps in anti inflammatory and analgesic activities. Extracts include terpenoids, flavonoids, phenols and tannins.

3. A wide range of phytochemicals like flavonoids phenols phenolic acids, anthocyanins and proanthocyanins extracted from it’s flowers helps to reduce cholesterol and hepatolipid levels.

4. Acetone extract from the flowers showed to inhibit low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation because of the presence of phenolic components.

5. Oligonol, a purified phenolic extract from the fruit inhibit replication of Betanodavirus which is the causative agent of viral nervous necrosis. Hence the antiviral activities have also been proved.

6. Seed extracts show antimicrobial and antioxidant activities against gram negative bacteria like Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and also gram positive microbes like Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus.

7. Anti- Carcinogenic activities of Litchi shows its ability and potential to stop the uncontrolled cell growth of different cancers.

8. It is a source of ascorbic acids which prevents the possibility of any kind of microbial infection.

9. Epicatechins are flavonoids that improve the cardiac health and reduce the risk of diabetes. Rutin is a flavonoid that prevents cancers, diabetes and cardiac ailments.

10. It has anti-angiogenic effects since it prevents the growth of blood vessels in the malignant tumor cells.

Adverse effects

The fruit can lead to brain inflammatory effects in certain rural children and specific compound called hypoglycin A can cause severe drop in the blood glucose levels leading to hypoglycemia. It can also lead to rare allergic reactions like breathing difficulty, swelling of lips and tongue.