Lepidagathis cuspidata
| Lepidagathis cuspidata | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Acanthaceae |
| Genus: | Lepidagathis |
| Species: | L. cuspidata |
| Binomial name | |
| Lepidagathis cuspidata Nees[1] | |
Lepidagathis cuspidata (also known as Kodajathripaccha, Kodassathripaccha and Spiny Lepidagathis) is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is native to India and is a prickly subshrub growing profusely on hilly terrain in the Western Ghats, in evergreen forests and in wet places. It has been recorded in the Indian states of Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as well as in Nepal and Pakistan.[2]
Taxonomy
Two infraspecific taxa are recognised within L. cuspidata. The variety L. cuspidata var. stenostegia, originally described in the 19th century but subsequently overlooked, was reinstated in a taxonomic revision of the Indian species of Lepidagathis. The same revision described another variety, L. cuspidata var. elliptica, based on populations from riverine boulders in the northern Western Ghats that have a spreading, decumbent habit and narrow, elliptic-linear leaves, distinguishing them from the typical variety.[3]
Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Lepidagathis, based on chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequence data, resolved the genus into two principal clades, A and B respectively. L. cuspidata was placed within the clade A based on the subsequent analysis. Biogeographic analysis in the same study indicated a probable Eurasian origin for the genus as a whole.[4]
Uses
L. cuspidata is harvested for its roots in traditional medicine.[5] Its roots are now known to contain the triterpenoid saponin cuspidate A, along with the compound clemontanoside-C, which was recorded for the first time in the genus Lepidagathis. Both compounds display antifungal activity against species such as Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium nodatum, and Aspergillus fumigatus, with cuspidate A demonstrating effectiveness comparable to the synthetic reference antifungal drug.[6]
Conservation
Due to unsustainable harvesting of wild populations, L. cuspidata faces growing population pressures. A micropropagation protocol has been established to support the species' conservation and enable commercial cultivation without depleting natural stands. This was done by using internodal and leaf-petiole explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with plant growth regulators. When these plantlets were moved to field conditions, 92 percent of the acclimatized plantlets survived. Tests showed that the lab-grown plants kept the same beneficial antioxidant and chemical levels as their wild counterparts.[5]
References
- ↑ "Lepidagathis cuspidata Nees". India Biodiversity Portal.
- ↑ "Lepidagathis cuspidata Nees". GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. GBIF Secretariat. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ↑ Bramhadande, S. P.; Nandikar, M. D. (2023). "A synopsis of the genus Lepidagathis (Acanthaceae) in India, new taxa and notes on Dalzell's species". Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. 16 (4): 626–652. doi:10.1016/j.japb.2023.08.004.
- ↑ Kadam, Suhas K.; Mane, Rohit N.; Tamboli, Asif S.; Jangam, Akshay P.; Choo, Yeon-Sik; Pak, Jae Hong (2024). "Molecular phylogenetic and biogeographic evidence of Lepidagathis Willd. (Acanthaceae, Barlerieae) focusing on Indian endemics". PhytoKeys. 248: 223–236. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.248.133776.
- 1 2 Anoop, K. R.; Thomas, T. Dennis (2025). "Micropropagation via internodal and petiole explants and phyto-pharmacological studies in Lepidagathis cuspidata Nees., an important medicinal shrub". Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC). 162. doi:10.1007/s11240-025-03217-w.
- ↑ Rattan, Rajeev; Inder Fozdar, Bharat; Gautam, Veena; Sharma, Ritika; Kumar, Dinesh; Sharma, Upendra (2017). "Cuspidate A, new anti-fungal triterpenoid saponin from Lepidagathis cuspidata". Natural Product Research. 31 (7): 773–779. doi:10.1080/14786419.2016.1244192.