Biological Properties of Thuja Orientalis Linn

Full text

Advances in Life Sciences 2012, 2(2): 17-20
DOI: 10.5923/j.als.20120202.04
Biological Properties of Thuja Orientalis Linn
Priya Srivastava1, P. Kumar2, D. K. Singh2, V. K. Singh2,*
1Department of Zoology, St. Xavier’s College, Ranchi, Jharkhand, 834001, India
2Malacology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, D.D.U. Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur , 273009, India
Abstract Thuja orientalis (Commonly- Morpankhi, Family- Cupressaceae) is an evergreen, monoecious trees or shrubs
used in various forms of traditional medicines and homeopathy in various ways. In traditional practices Thuja is used for
treatment of bronchial catarrh, enuresis, cystitis, psoriasis, uterine carcinomas, amenorrhea and rheumatism. Recent re-
searches in different parts of the world have shown that T. orientalis and its active component thujone have the great poten-
tial against a various health problems. T. orientalis preparations can be efficiently used against microbial/worm infection. It
can be used as antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory agent. Instead of these effects, it can be also used as insecti-
cidal, molluscicidal and nematicidal activity against different pests. The present review highlights the some important bio-
logical properties of T. orientalis.
Keywords Thuja Orientalis, Morpankhi, Thujone, Antimicrobial, Molluscicidal, Antimicrobial
1. Introduction
Thuja orientalis (Commonly- Morpankhi, Family- Cu-
pressaceae) is a genus of coniferous trees. T. orientalis is an
evergreen, monoecious trees or shrubs growing to 10-60 feet
tall. The shoot are flat, leaves are scale like. The leaves are
arranged in flattened fan shaped growing with resine glands
[1]. Their leaves contain essential oils used to treat fungus
infections, cancer, moles and parasitic worms. The essential
oil derived from the leaves is toxic. α-thujone is useful as an
insecticide and an antihelminthic agent for the treatment of
parasitic worms[2]. However, α -thujone is a toxic substance
that disrupts neurological signals in the brain. Ingestion of
the essential oils of Thuja leaves can cause death[2]. Seed
with a pair of narrow lateral wings, seedlings produce 2
cotyledons. The wood is light, soft and aromatic. Thuja poles
also often used to make fence posts and rails. The wood of
Thuja is commonly used for guitar sound boards[3]. It is
used as a medicinal plant in various forms of traditional
medicines like folk medicine, homeopathy and treatment of
bronchial catarrh, enuresis, cystitis, psoriasis, uterine carci-
nomas, amenorrhea and rheumatism[4-6]. Oil of Thuja
contains thujone which has been studied for its GABA
(gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptor antagonistic, with po-
tentially lethal properties[2]. A yellow dye is obtained from
the young branches[7]. Thuja is also occasionally used for
treating diseases of skin, blood, gastrointestinal tract, kid-
ney, brain, warty excrescences, spongy tumors[6]. Dubey
and Batra[8,9] reported that the hepato-protective activities
* Corresponding author:
vinaygkpuniv@gmail.com (Vinay Kumar Singh)
Published online at http://journal.sapub.org/als
Copyright © 2012 Scientific & Academic Publishing. All Rights Reserved
and antioxidant activity of Thuja occidentalis. Anti- prolif-
erative and apoptosis- inducing properties of Thuja occi-
dentalis has been evaluated by Biswas et al.,[6].
2. Chemical Constituents
Thuja orientalis leaves contain rhodoxanthin, amentofl-
avone, hinokiflavone, quercetin, myricetin, carotene, xan-
thophylls and ascorbic acid. The fruit and roots are strongly
aromatic. Distillation of the dried roots yields an essential oil
having the following properties- Sp.gr.200, 0.971[α]D, -22.50
nD20, 1.5055: acid val, 2.1 ester. Val. 26.27; ester. Val. After
acetylation, 89.39; Carbonyls (as C10H16O), 5.65% and 50%
in 7-8 vols of 95% alcohol[10]. The composition of the oil is
as follows: a new bicyclic sesquiterpene 51.10; l-borneol,
17.10; bornyl acetate, 9.1; α-thujone and camphor, 5.6; and a
new sesquirterpenenic alcohol. The seed yields fatty oil
having the fallowing composition palmitic 5.28, stearic, 7.3;
C18 unsaturated acids, 1829 (linolenic, 44.6%); and C20 un-
saturated acids, 6.10%. The heartwood contains aroma-
dendrin, taxifolin, widdrene, cedrol, thujopsadiene, dehydro
-α-curcumene, β-isobiotol and Curcumenether. It also con-
tains an essential oil C is a complex blend of: Sesquiterpene
hydrocarbons (cuparenes) 40; alcohols (Cedrol, widdrol,
cuparenols) 50; monoterpenic acids[10]. Nickavar et al.,[11]
19 and 28 compounds have been identified in the volatile oils
of the fruit and leaf, respectively, while the fruit oil contained
α-pinene (52.4%), 3-carene (14.2%), α-cedrol (6.5%) and-
phellandrene (5.1%), the leaf oil contained α-pinene (21.9%),
α-cedrol (20.3%), 3-carene (10.5%) and limonene (7.2%) as
the main components.
Thujone is a ketone and a monoterpene that occurs natu-
rally in two diastereomeric forms: α-thujone and β- thu-
jone[12].

18 Priya Srivastava et al.: Biological Properties of Thuja Orientalis Linn
(−)-α-thujone (+)-α-thujone
(+)-β-thujone (−)-β-thujone
Schema 1. Structure of diastereomeric isomer of thujone
3. Biological Effects
The main constituents of essential oils mono- and ses-
quiterpenes including carbohydrates, phenols, alcohols,
ethers, aldehydes and ketones are responsible for the bio-
logical activity of aromatic and medicinal plants[12,13].
Thuja orientalis is used internally in the treatment of coughs,
haemorrhages, excessive menstruation, bronchitis, asthma,
skin infections, mumps, bacterial dysentery, arthritic pains
and premature blandness[14]. The leaves are antipyretic,
astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, emollient, expectorant,
refrigent, and stomachic[15,16]. Their use is said to improve
the growth of hair[15]. The seed is aperients, lenitive and
sedative. It is used internally in the treatment of palpitations,
insomnia, nervous disorder and constipation in the elderly.
The bark is used in the treatment of burn and scalds. The
stems are used in the treatment of coughs, cold, dysentery,
rheumatism and parasitic skin diseases[16]. Thujone was a
weak inhibitor of acyl-CoA: lysophosphatidylcholine acyl-
transferase activity in mouse brain synaptosomes compared
to psychoactive cannabinoids[17].
3.1. Antibacterial Activity
Plants and their essential oils are potentially useful
sources of antimicrobial compounds. Thuja orientalis con-
tain large amounts of three substances (alpha, beta and
gamma thujaplicin) that in low concentration would serve as
chelators for Solmonella typhimurium[18]. T. orientalis was
very effective in inhibiting the growth of serotypes c and d of
Solmonella mutans (MIC less than or equal to 2.0-7.8
mg/ml)[19].
3.2. Antifungal Activity
The essential oil showed antifungal activity in the inhibi-
tion zone against Alternaria alternata and Currularia lunata
in a direct bioautography assay by lipophilic leaf extract of T.
orientalis. Best bioactive component (Rf = 0.80) were ob-
served and noted for antifungal activity. It produced an in-
hibition zone of 30 and 22 mm in diameter against A. al-
ternata and C. Lunata, respectively[20,21]. Mishra et al.[22]
reported antifungal activity of aqueous leaf extract of T.
orientalis against Curvularia lunata. The essential oils from
leaves, twigs and stems of large trees and shrub-like trees of
Thuja sutchuenensis were extracted by hydrodistillation and
supercritical fluid extraction and analysed by GC and
GC-MS. The essential oils exhibited a certain degree of
antifungal activity against six strains of human pathogenic
fungi[23].
3.3. Antiviral Activity
The chemical composition of the essential oil of T. ori-
entalis was determined by GC/MS analysis. Essentials oils
have been evaluated for their inhibitory activity against
Sever Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-
Coronavirus) and Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 (HSV-1)
replication in vitro by visually scoring of the virus-induced
cytopathogenic effect post-infection[24,25]. Several re-
searches have demonstrated that allopathic extracts of T.
orientalis could be used as strong antiviral agents against
plant and animal viruses[26,27].
3.4. Inflammatory Activity
Vascular inflammation is involved in the inhibition and
progression of cardiovascular disease including atheroscle-
rosis. Anti-vascular inflammatory activity of an aqueous
extract of T. orientalis (ATO) and its possible mechanisms
were investigated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells
(HUVECs)[28]. Pre- incubation of ATO inhibited tumor
necrosis factor and also inhibited U937 monocytes adhesion
to HUVECs stimulated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
suggesting that it may inhibit the binding of monocytes to
endothelium. Furthermore, ATO significantly inhibited
TNF-induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen
species (ROS). Overall, ATO has an anti- inflammatory
activity which is at least in part, is due to the decrease in the
TNF-induced endothelial adhesion to monocytes by inhib-
iting intracellular ROS production, NF-kB activation and
cell adhesion molecule in HUVECs[28,29].
3.5. Anticancer Activity
Strong 5αa-reductase inhibitor are extracted and fraction-
ated from T. orientalis and purified as diterpenes in isolated
form[30]. The inhibitors are used either on their own or as
active ingredients of therapeutics in the treatment of diseases
caused by the over activity of 5αa-reductase or the hyper-
secretion of androgens, such as male baldness, androgenetic
alopecia, hirsutism, acne, prostatomegaly and cancer of the
prostate[30,31]. Dubey and Batra[8,9] reported that the
hepato-protective activities and antioxidant activity of
Thuja occidentalis linn. Anti-proliferative and apoptosis-
inducing properties of thujone-rich fraction (TRF) separated
from Thuja occidentalis. Their possible anti-cancer poten-
tials have been noted in the malignant melanoma cell line
A375[6]. Sunila et al.,[32] concluded that a polysaccharide,

Advances in Life Sciences 2012, 2(2): 17-20 19
or long-chain sugar molecule, derived from Thuja leaves
extract decreased the inflammation caused by cancer. It also
prevented the cancer from metastasizing, or spreading
throughout the body.
3.6. Larvicidal Activity
Larvicidal activities of T. orientalis oil against 4th-instar
larvae of Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens pallens has been
observed by Ju-Hyun et al.[33]. Larvicidal activity of T.
orientalis leaf oil was higher than those of stem, fruit, and
seeds oils. Essential oils of leaves and fruits of T. orientalis
at 400 ppm caused 100% and 71.6% mortalities against A.
aegypti[33]. The lavricidal activity was observed from
various age class (I-III) and found strong mortality in age
class of II of T. orientalis against Aedes aegypti and Culex
pipiens pallens larvae. Leaf part and age class II of T. ori-
entalis has strong larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti
and Culex pipiens pallens. Leaf oil of T. orientalis shows
natural larvicides against Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens
pallens[33].
3.7. Insecticidal Activity
Leaf extracts of T. orientalis shows a repellent activity
against Chilo partellus. T. orientalis ether extract (68.63%),
acetone extracts (67.51%) have sufficient repellent action
[34]. Foliar application of semi-solid crude extract of T.
orientalis on maize was very effective against Chilo partel-
lus[35].
3.8. Nematicidal Activity
Ethanolic extract of Thuja orientalis leaf concentrations
(20,40,60, and 80%) at 3 time intervals caused mortality in
egg juvenile of Meloidogyne incognita[36]. It revealed a
linear relationship between the concentration of the plant
extract and the number of eggs hatched. Mortality of juve-
niles was directly proportional to the concentration and time
of plant extracts[36].
3.9. Molluscicidal Activity
Singh and Singh[37] reported that the ethanol extract of T.
orientalis leaf (24 h LC50- 32.74 mg/l) and column purified
fraction (24 h LC50- 29.25 mg/l) were potent molluscicide
against Lymnaea acuminata. Thujone (24 h LC50- 08.09
mg/l) was identified as active molluscicidal component in T.
orientalis. The molluscicidal activity of leaf/fruit of Thuja
orientalis and their active components/column purified
fraction with synergist Piperonyl butoxide (PB) and MGK-
264 (ENT 8184) was studied in binary combination (1:5)
against L acuminata. Combination of T. orientalis leaf/
thujone or fruit powder/ column extract of T. orientalis fruit
with PB or MGK-264 indicate synergised the toxicity up to
189.02 times. Toxicity of binary combination was increased
hundreds folds than their individual components indicating
synergistic action[38]. Sub-lethal (40% and 80% of 24h
LC50) in vivo treatments of column purified fraction of
Thuja orientalis and their active molluscicidal component
thujone significantly inhibited the acetylcholinesterase
(AChE), acid and alkaline phosphatase (ACP/ALP) activi-
ties in the nervous tissue of Lymnaea acuminata [39].
It can be concluded from the ongoing literature that T.
orientalis has the great potential against a number of health
problem viz. bacterial, fungal and worm infection. It has
antioxidant, antiviral, insecticidal nematicidal and mollus-
cicidal activity. Recently, it has shown carcinogenic prop-
erty. It needs greater attention by the researchers to explore
its full potential and efficient use in the human welfare.
REFERENCES
[1] Farjon, A. 2005. Monograph of Cupressaceae of Sciadopitys.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-068-4.
[2] Hold, K. M., Sirisoma, N. S., Ikeda, T., Narahashi, T. and
casida, J. E. 2000. Alpha-thujone (the active component of
absinthe): gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor mod-
ulation and metabolic detoxification”. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.,
USA. 97(8): 3826-3831. doi:10.1073/pnas. 070042397.
[3] Bucur, V. 1995. Acoustics of wood. Boca Raton: CRC
Press.pp298.
[4] Shimada K. 1956. Contribution to anatomy of the central
nervous system of the Japanese upon the vermal arbour vitae.
Okajimas Folia Anatomica Japonica, 28 (1), 207–227.
[5] Baran, D. 1991. Arbor vitae, a guarantee of health. Revista
Medico-Chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din
Lasi, 95(3-4): 347–349.
[6] Biswas R., Mandal S.K., Dutta S., Bhattacharyya S.S., Bou-
jedaini N. and Khuda-Bukhsh AR. 2011. Thujone-Rich
Fraction of Thuja occidentalis Demonstrates Major An-
ti-Cancer Potentials: Evidences from In Vitro Studies on
A375 Cells. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative
Medicine, Volume 2011, Article ID 568148, 16 pages.
doi:10.1093/ecam/neq042.
[7] Grieve, M. 1984. A modern Herbal. Penguin. ISBN
0-14-046-440-9.
[8] Dubey S.K. and Batra, A. 2008. Hepatoprotective activity
from ethanol fraction of Thuja occidentalis Linn. Asian
Journal of Research in Chemistry, 1:32–35.
[9] Dubey S.K. and Batra, A. 2009. Antioxidant activity of Thuja
occidentalis linn. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clin-
ical Research, 2: 73–76.
[10] Anonymous. 1995. The Wealth of India, Raw Materials Vol.
IX. Publication and information directorate, CSIR, New
Delhi, India.
[11] Nickavar B. Amin G and Parhami S. 2003. Volatile consti-
tuents of the fruit and leaf oils of Thuja orientalis L. grown in
Iran. Z. Naturforsch. 58c, 171D172.
[12] Perry, N. B., Anderson, R. E., Brennan, N. J., Douglas, M. H.,
Heaney, A. J., McGimpsey, J. A. and Smallfield, B. M. 1999.
"Essential Oils from Dalmatian Sage (Salvia officinalis L.):
Variations among Individuals, Plant Parts, Seasons, and
Sites". J Agric Food Chem 47(5): 2048–2054.

20 Priya Srivastava et al.: Biological Properties of Thuja Orientalis Linn
[13] Sokovic M., Glamoclija J., Marin P.D., Brkic D., and van
Griensven LJLD. 2010. Antibacterial effects of the essential
oils of commonly consumed medicinal herbs using an in vitro
model. Molecules 15: 7532 - 7546; doi: 10.3390 / molec-
ules15117532.
[14] Bown, D. 1995. Encyclopedia of Herbs and their Uses.
ISBN-0-7513-020-31.
[15] Yeung. Him-Che, 1985. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and
Formulas. Institute of Chinese medicine, Los Angeles.
[16] Duke, J. A. and Ayensu (1985). Medicinal plants of China.
Reference Publications Inc. Michigan.
[17] Greenberg, J. H., Mellors, A. & McGowan, J. C. 1978. Molar
volume relationships and the specific inhibition of a synap-
tosomal enzyme by psychoactive cannabinoids. J. Med.
Chem., 21: 1208.
[18] Akers, H. A., Abrego, V. A. and Garland, E. 1980. Thujapli-
cins from Thuja plicata as iron transport agents for Salmo-
nella typhimurium. J. Bacteriol, 141(1): 164-168.
[19] Chen, C.P., Lin, C.C. and Namba, T., 1989. Screening of
Taiwanese crude drugs for antimicrobial activity against
Streptococcus mutans. J. Ethnopharmacol. 27, 285–295.
[20] Guleria, S. and Kumar, A. 2006. Antifungal activity of some
Himalayan medicinal plants using direct bioautography. J. of
Cell and Molecular Biology, 5: 95-98.
[21] Guleriaa, S., Kumarb, A. and Tikua, A. K. 2007. Chemical
Composition and Fungitoxic Activity of Essential Oil of
Thuja orientalis L. Grown in the North- Western Himalaya. Z.
Naturforsch, 63: 211-214.
[22] Mishra, M., Malik, S. and Tiwari, S. N. 1992. Allelopathic
effect of certain botanicals against six fungal pathogens of
rice. Proceedings of first National Symposium on Alleolo-
pathy in Agroecosystems (Agriculture and Forestry),
191-193.
[23] Lie H., Wang Y. Su C., Liang F., Su W., Hui M., Shaw P.,
Luo Y. 2010. Chemical composition and antifungal activity
of essential oils of Thuja sutchuenensis, a critically endan-
gered species endemic to China. Nat Prod Comm. 5(10):
1673-1676.
[24] Hassan, H. T., Drize, N. J., Sadovinkova, EYu., Gan, O. I.,
Gohla, S. and Neth, R. D. 1996. TPSg. An anti- human im-
munodeficiency virus (HIV-1) agent, isolated from the Cu-
pressaceae Thuja occidentale L. (Arborvitae) enhances in
vivo hemopoietic progenitor cells recovery in sublethally ir-
radiated mice. In: Immunol. Lett., 50: 119-22.
[25] Monica, R. L., Antoine, M. S., Rosa, T., Giancarlo, A. S.,
Francesco, M., IIaria, L., Roberto, G., Jindrich, C. and Hans
W. D. 2008. Phytochemical analysis and in vitro antiviral
activities of the essential oils of seven Lebanon species. Chem.
Biodivers., 5: 461-470.
[26] Gohla, S. H., Haubeck, H. D. and Neth, R. D. 1988. Mito-
genic activity of high molecular polysaccharide fractions
isolated from the Cupressaceae Thuja occidentale L.I. Ma-
crophage- dependent induction of CD-4 positive T-helper
(Th+) lymphocytes. In Leukemia., 2(8): 528-33.
[27] Offergeld, R., Reinecker, C., Gumz, E., Schrum, S., Treiber,
R., Neth, R. D. and Gohla, S. H. 1992. Mutagenic activity of
high molecular polysaccharide fractions isolated from the
Cupressaceae Thuja occidentale L.(Arborvitae) enhanced
cytokinene- production by thyapolysaccharide, g- fraction
(TPSg). In: Leukemia, 3: 1895-1915.
[28] Moon, M. K., Kang, D. G., Lee, Y. J., Kim, J. S. and Lee, H. S.
2008. Inhibitory activity of Thuja orientalis on TNF- induced
vascular cell adhesion in HUVECs. The FASEB Journal, 22:
1128.20-1128.
[29] Berger, A., Monnard, I., Baur, M., Charbonnet, C., Safonova,
I. and Jomard, A. 2002. Epidermal anti-Inflammatory prop-
erties of 5, 11, 14, 20:3: effect on mouse ear edema, PGE2
level in cultured keratinocytes, and PPAR activation. Doi:
10.1186/1476-511X-1-5. Licensee Bio. Med. Central Ltd.
[30] US Patent 5773005 1998. Purified flavonoid and diterpene
5α-reductase inhibitor from Thuja orientalis for androgen-
related diseases.
[31] Muhammad ,I., Mossa, J. S., Al Yahya, M. A., Ramadan, A. S.
and El Seraly, F. L. 1995. Further antibacterial diterpenes
from the bark and leaves of Juniperus procera. Hochst. ex.
Endl. Phytotheraphy Research, 9: 584-588.
[32] Sunila E.S., Hamsa T.P. and Kuttan G. 2011. Effect of Thuja
occidentalis and its polysaccharide on cell-mediated immune
responses and cytokine levels of metastatic tumor-bearing
animals. Pharm Biol. 49(10): 1965-1073.
[33] Ju-Hyun, J., Sang- Hyun, L., Moo- Key, K., Hoi- seon, L.
2005. Larvicidal activity of Chamaecyparis obusta and Thuja
orientalis leaf oils against two mosquito species. Agric.
Chemi. and Biotech. 48 (1), 26-28.
[34] Dwivedi, S. C. and Shekhawat, N. B. 2004. Repellent effect
of some indigenous plant extract against Trogoderma grana-
rium (Everts). Asian J. Exp. Sci., 18: 47-51.
[35] Anju, B. and Sharma, V. K. 1999. Relative toxicity and per-
sistence of plant products against maize stem borer on maize.
Annals of Plant Protection Sciences, 7(2): 144-149.
[36] Cannayane, I. and Rajendran, G. 2002. Allelochemic action
of certain plant extracts on eggs and juveniles of Meloidogyn
incognita. Current Nematology, 13: 83-89.
[37] Singh A. and Singh V.K. 2009. Molluscicidal activity of
Saraca asoca and Thuja orientalis against the fresh water snail
Lymnaea acuminata. Veterinary Parasitology, 164, 206-210,
doi- 10.1016/j. vetpar.2009.05.008, UK.
[38] Singh, A. Kumar, P., Singh D.K. and Singh V.K. 2010.
Toxicity to binary combination of Saraca asoca and Thuja
orientalis with synergist piperonyl butoxide and MGK-264
against the fresh water snail Lymnaea acuminata. The Bios-
can, 5(1), 13-18.
[39] Singh, A., Srivastava P., Kumar, P., Singh D.K. and Singh
V.K. 2011. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and phospha-
tases by active molluscicidal components of saraca asoca and
thuja orientalis in the nervous tissue of Lymnaea acuminata.
3rd International Conference on Climate Change, Forest
Resource and Environment (ICCFRE), The Ecoscan, Special
issue-1, 87-92.