Nutritive Importance and Therapeutics Uses of Three Different Varieties (Murraya koenigii, Micromelum minutum, and Clausena indica) of Curry Leaves: An Updated Review.

Murraya koenigii (M. koenigii), Micromelum minutum (M. minutum), and Clausena indica (C. indica) are three varieties of curry leaves in the family Rutaceae. They have been widely used in Ayurvedic medicine worldwide in the treatment and prevention of various diseases. Earlier findings provide strong evidence to support the three curry leaf species' potent pharmaceutical and biological effects, including antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. Various parts of these plants, such as leaves, seeds, flowers, and fruit, contain constituents responsible for the modulation of numerous biological processes. Leading constituents of curry leaves play a crucial role in diabetic and anticancer management by regulating various molecular pathways, including Bcl-2, Bax, NF-κB, and TNFα, according to in vitro and in vivo models established. Therefore, this review summarizes the current knowledge on research achievements made in terms of phytoconstituents, their structures, biological activities, and pharmacological actions with clinical studies of curry leaves up to date. The review also emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive research studies on the pharmacological actions and the mechanisms of selected phytochemicals of M. koenigii, M. minutum, and C. indica to validate their efficacy as potent herbal remedies for many ailments.

Phytochemical screening, total polyphenol, flavonoid content, in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Sri Lankan varieties of Murraya koenigii and Micromelum minutum leaves.

The use of plant materials in traditional medicine as a significant ingredient in synthesizing drugs in the form of decoctions had played a vital role due to their potential therapeutic action. The curry leaves, Murraya koenigii, and Micromelum minutum are two most common aromatic herbs widespread in Sri Lanka and many other Asian countries. They are rich in nutrition and exert several medicinal properties such as antidiabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic due to various essential phytochemicals, minerals, and trace minerals. In this study, we determined the proximate composition, in vitro antioxidant activity, total phenol (TPC), flavonoid content (TFC), and antibacterial activity in both species using standard methods. Results showed that both species varied greatly in nutritional composition, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. The nutrient composition in terms of ash, crude protein, and fat was significantly high in M. koenigii based on dry weight basis. In vitro antioxidant potential of M. koenigii and M. minutum was evaluated by means of the DPPH radical scavenging assay, and the IC50 values of M. koenigii and M. minutum were 107 ± 2 µg/mL and 208 ± 4 µg/mL, respectively. The TPC and TFC of M. koenigii were 101 ± 1 mg GAE/g and 9.75 ± 0.05 mg QE/g, and M. minutum were 80 ± 2 mg GAE/g and 9.16 ± 0.02 mg QE/g respectively. The antibacterial study was assessed against three bacterial strains. The study showed the highest inhibitory activity for M. koenigii and M. minutum against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively at 1.0 mg/mL concentration. The study indicated that M. koenigii possessed a significantly high TPC, and TFC correlated with higher antibacterial and antioxidant activity than M. minutum.