Gymnema sylvestre

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Strophanthus alterniflorus
• Gymnema melicida
• Gymnema parvifolium
• Conocalpis umbellata
• Apocynum alterniflorum
• Periploca sylvestris
• Marsdenia sylvestris
• Gymnema subvolubile
• Gymnema sylvestre var. affine
• Gymnema sylvestre var. ceylanicum
• Gymnema sylvestre var. chinense
• Gymnema rufescens
• Gymnema alterniflorum
• Gymnema affine
• Gymnema humile
• Gymnema formosanum
• Cynanchum subvolubile
• Asclepias geminata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Gentianaales, it falls within the family Apocynaceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Gymnema, which includes the medicinal species Gymnema sylvestre.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Gymnema sylvestre, exhibits a specific geographical presence within the West Tropical Africa region. Its distribution can be traced through several key nations located in this part of the continent. Specifically, it is found growing in the territories of Benin and Burkina. The plant's range also extends to include the countries of Ghana and Guinea-Bissau. Furthermore, its occurrence is documented within the borders of Guinea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Gymnema sylvestre is characterized by its preference for specific topographical and environmental niches, primarily thriving in coastal forest habitats. This woody climber is typically found growing on the coast within forested regions, where it can benefit from the moisture and shelter provided by the canopy. Its distribution is vertically constrained within a specific altitudinal belt, occupying an elevational range that begins at 500 m AMSL and extends up to a maximum of 1200 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1200 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

500 m AMSL

Habitat :

on the coast in forest

Life history

The life history of Gymnema sylvestre is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence in its natural habitat. Structurally, the plant is classified as a phanerophyte, specifically exhibiting a phanerophyte life form where its reproductive shoots and buds are elevated above the ground level, protected by its woody climbing stem. This growth habit enables the plant to ascend through surrounding vegetation to reach sunlight, facilitating its long-term developmental cycle and reproductive success within its ecological niche.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Gymnema sylvestre is characterized by its growth as a woody shrub that functions as an obligatory climbing vine or liana. This terrestrial plant exhibits a significant vertical reach, with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 10 meters, maintaining an average height of approximately 3 meters. In terms of its life strategy, it is an independent organism rather than a parasite, and it maintains a strictly terrestrial existence rather than being an epiphyte or an aquatic species. Although its growth form is classified under the category of "other," it specifically manifests as a woody shrub-like climber.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

other

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

3 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Gymnema sylvestre is characterized by specific morphological dimensions of its foliage and its metabolic relationship with soil nutrients. The leaves exhibit significant variability in size, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 8 cm, while maintaining a mean leaf length of approximately 5.5 cm. In terms of lateral expansion, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 1.5 cm and a maximum of 4 cm. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient cycling capabilities, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the substrate rather than through symbiotic nitrogen-fixing processes.

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length mean:

5.5 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Gymnema sylvestre is characterized by a highly flexible flowering period that can occur throughout nearly the entire year, spanning from January through December, though the specific timing remains variable depending on environmental conditions. Following the flowering phase, the plant produces fruits that exhibit notable dimensional variation. These fruits typically possess a mean length of 7 cm, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 5 cm to a maximum of 9 cm. In terms of thickness, the fruit maintains a very consistent width, with a mean, minimum, and maximum value all recorded at 2 cm.

Flowering time :

Dec

Fruit length max:

9 cm

Fruit length mean:

7 cm

Fruit length min:

5 cm

Fruit width max:

2 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Gymnema sylvestre has 2 reported plant parts identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.

Leaf

1. The Journal of nutrition
2. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
3. General pharmacology
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Stem

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. TheScientificWorldJournal

Chemicals

Gymnema sylvestre has 106 reported phytochemicals identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Gymnemagenin, Saponins, Flavonoids, Gymnemic acid I, Gymnemic acid IV.

Gymnemagenin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmacognosy magazine
3. The Journal of nutrition
4. Steroids
5. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Saponins

1. The Journal of nutrition
2. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology
3. International journal of nanomedicine
4. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
5. Pharmacognosy research

Flavonoids

1. AMB Express
2. Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology
3. International journal of nanomedicine
4. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Gymnemic acid I

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current computer-aided drug design
3. In silico pharmacology
4. Heliyon

Gymnemic acid IV

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia
3. Journal of Asian natural products research
4. Heliyon

Gymnemasaponin V

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Journal of Asian natural products research

Gymnemic acid VII

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current computer-aided drug design
3. Heliyon

STIGMASTEROL

1. Fitoterapia
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Steroids

1. Chemico-biological interactions
2. International journal of nanomedicine
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Conduritol A

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Activities

Gymnema sylvestre has 315 reported activities identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hypoglycemic, Antidiabetic, Hypolipidemic, Antimicrobial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Inflammopharmacology
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
5. Microbial pathogenesis

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Chinese journal of integrative medicine
4. Fitoterapia
5. Indian journal of clinical biochemistry : IJCB

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
3. Steroids
4. Pharmacognosy magazine
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hypolipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Steroids
4. Chemical senses

Antimicrobial

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
3. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. BioMed research international

Antihyperglycemic

1. Journal of Asian natural products research
2. Indian journal of experimental biology

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AP-1-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Gymnema sylvestre has 62 reported investigations on conditions identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include diabetes mellitus, antidiabetic, Diabetes mellitus, asthma, blood glucose.

Diabetes mellitus

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Chinese journal of integrative medicine
3. Indian journal of clinical biochemistry : IJCB
4. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences
5. Chemico-biological interactions

Antidiabetic

1. Steroids
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Diabetes mellitus

1. Current diabetes reviews
2. PloS one
3. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
4. Journal of dietary supplements

Asthma

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
3. BioMed research international
4. PloS one

Blood glucose

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Journal of dietary supplements
3. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Constipation

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. BioMed research international
3. Pharmacognosy research

Hyperglycemia

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Obesity

1. Fitoterapia
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. PloS one

Type 2 diabetes

1. Phytochemistry
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.)

Candida albicans

1. PloS one
2. AMB Express

Preparations

Gymnema sylvestre has 43 reported preparations identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extracts, aqueous extracts, leaves, 10% leaf extract, 300 mg capsules.

Extracts

1. Die Pharmazie
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Aqueous extracts

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Leaves

1. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
2. Current diabetes reviews

10% leaf extract

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

300 mg capsules

1. Journal of medicinal food

Capsules

1. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Ethyl acetate extract

1. AMB Express

Gs3

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Gs4

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Gymnema sylvestre (g. sylvestre) extracts

1. Microbial pathogenesis