Taxonomical, Phytochemical, Traditional Explanation, Nutritional Values, and Biological Activities of Certain Edible Medicinal Plants of Tripura, India

Edible plants are used as valuable sources of food and medicine to prevent nutritional imbalance, illness, and maintenance of human health. This review covers botanical descriptions, phytochemicals studies, traditional comprehensions, dietary values, and biological activities of ten vegetable plants and eight fruit plants of Tripura, India. The book “The Flora of Tripura State” helps to choose the plant species of Tripura, India and PubMed, NCBI, Google scholar databases have been used to describe the plant species briefly. Literature reveals that all the selected edible plants contain bio-active constituents (alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, glycosides, etc.) and give dynamic biological activities. All the plants have a high nutritional value. This review believes it will provide significant advances in the prevention of malnutrition and chronic diseases. *Author for correspondence JOURNAL OF NATURAL REMEDIES DOI: 10.18311/jnr/2021/26118 Article Received on: 23.09.2020 Accepted on: 08.06.2021 Revised on: 26.03.2021


Introduction
Edible plants are essential in our diet and have ethnomedicinal values without any toxicity. They are the primary sources of food and highly beneficial for the nourishment of health and the prevention of diseases 1 . Terpenoids, limonoids, phytoestrogens, carotenoids, polyphenols, glucosinolates, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, and anthocyanidins are active phytochemicals present in fruits, seeds, herbs, and vegetables. In different stages of life cycles, these phytochemicals provide various health beneficial activities 2,3 . Edible plants provide energy, proteins, necessary fats, vitamins, and minerals, to develop and for proper functions of life. A large variety of nutrients is essential for our daily diet for well-being. The pleasure of a healthy diet can also be one of the unique ethnic preferences of life. Concerns protein malnutrition is a paramount general health issue in emerging countries. Essential nutrients being roots and tubers are mostly stiff.
Nutritive fiber shows a dynamic role in diminishing the hazards of various illnesses 4 .
The Himalayas extends over eight Northeast states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura) of India. It comprises over 16% of the country's geographical area. Tripura lies between 22°56' -24°32' N latitudes and 90°09' -92° 20' E longitudes. The average temperature of Tripura is 27 o C during summer and 8°C during winter. The average rainfall is about 2400 mm. Although the biodynamic geographical diversity of Tripura, many bioactive plants are grown naturally. Some of these plant parts consumed directly by local peoples for their dietary benefits because these edible plants cannot produce toxic effects on human body 5,6 . This review covers general descriptions of plant, phytochemicals study, traditional comprehension, nutritional values, and biological activities of eighteen edible plants of Tripura, Northeast India.

Method for Plant Choosing and Elaboration
The plant species of Tripura, India have been chosen from the book "The Flora of Tripura State" 7 . The selected is based on two categories i) vegetable plants and ii) fruit plants. PubMed, NCBI, Google scholar databases have been used to describe the chosen plant species.

Elephant Foot Yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius)
Amorphophallus paeoniifolius ( Figure 1A) is a stout herbaceous plant well known as elephant foot yam. It is a potential humid tuber crop of the Araceae family that widely grows in a shady region or swampy areas of northeast India during June-August. A darkbrown corn is an edible part 8 . The taxonomical classification of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius is represented in Table 1.

Bengal Arum (Typhonium trilobatum)
Typhonium trilobatum ( Figure 1C) is a leafy vegetable evergreen perennial herb of height 0.85m tall. This herb mainly grows between May to July on plain grassland. Taxonomical classification of Typhonium trilobatum is represented in Table 3 1 .

Taro (Colocasia esculenta)
Colocasia esculenta ( Figure 1B)is a tropical herbaceous perennial plant belonging to Araceae. It is cultivated primarily during the rainy season for its edible corms, most commonly known as taro, and other consumable parts are leaf and stem. It is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated plants. This plant is found in entire northeastern India. Taxonomical classification of Colocasia esculenta is represented in Table 2

Dolichos Bean (Lablab purpureus)
Lablab purpureus ( Figure 1D) is generally known as Dolichos bean, Hyacinth bean, or Field bean. It exists only as a whole antique food amongst cultivated plants.
It is a bushy, semi-erect, perennial herb, having no affinity to ascend. This plant grows during the winter season. Taxonomical classification of Lablab purpureus is represented in Table 4

Clumping Bamboo (Melocanna baccifera)
Melocanna baccifera ( Figure 1E), an evergreen arborescent, non-clump forming, is a single bamboo species naturally distributed in a hilly area of northeast India like Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya. Its local Bengali name is "Muli", and its English name is "Clumping bamboo". Edible parts are young shoots and are harvested during the rainy season. Culms are considered mature when it is two years old. Taxonomical classification of Melocanna baccifera is represented in Table 5 25 .

Miracle Tree (Moringa oleifera)
Moringa oleifera ( Figure 1F) native to northeast India grows in the tropical and subtropical part of lower Himalayan regions. It is a small, elegant, broadleaf tree with sparse foliage. The flowering period starts in January and lasts over March. The leaves, flowers, and immature pods (called long green pods), are eatable portions. Moringa oleifera, is also known as 'the miracle tree' due to its remarkable curing abilities for many chronic diseases. The taxonomical classification of Moringa oleifera is described in Table 629.
Different edible parts of Moringa oleifera contained alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, and saponines. Moringa oleifera leaves are used to reduce cholesterol and body weight, infertility in women, lower blood pressure, reduce jaundice, menstrual relief, cure diabetes, and constipation. Flowers were used to curing thyroid problems; roots were used to minimize spinal cord pain; seeds powder was used to kill intestinal worms, and pods were used to lower blood sugar levels 30 . The three common edible parts (leaves, flowers, and long green pods) of Moringa oleifera contained the right amounts of nutritional compositions. Nutritional values per 100 g of leaves consist of 6.7 g protein, 1.7 g fat, 12 rutin, kaempferol and quercetin. Traditionally it is used to control bacterial and fungal diseases 32 . Nutritional values per 100 g fruits of Solanum torvum consists 2.32 g protein, 0.28 g fat, 7.04 g carbohydrate, 3.99 g crude fiber, 39.96 Kcal energy, 21.5 mg zinc, 2.6 mg copper, 19.5 mg magnesium, 211.6 mg calcium, and 76.9 mg iron, and 2.68 mg Vit. C 33 . Biological activities of the fruit of S. torvum are anti-oxidant, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-ulcer, antihypertensive and metabolic correction, nephron-protective, cardioprotective, and anti-diabetic 32 .

Sesame (Sesamum indicum)
Sesame (Sesamum indicum) ( Figure 1H) is an herbaceous annual plant. The primary flowering season is in July month. Oilseeds of sesame are traditional healthy food, generally used to improve nutritional status. The taxonomical classification of Sesamum indicum is represented in Table 8 34 .

Turkey Berry (Solanum torvum)
Solanum torvum ( Figure 1G) commonly known as Turkey berry. It is a bushy, erect, and spiny perennial plant. The fruit is the edible part of this plant. The flowering season of this plant is from May to July. The taxonomical classification of Solanum torvum is described in Table 7

Vegetable Hummingbird (Sesbania grandiflora)
Sesbania grandiflora ( Figure 1I) is a fast-growing perennial, deciduous, or evergreen legume tree that raises to 8-15 m high and 25-30 cm in diameter. The roots of the tree are usually heavily nodulated with large nodules. Leaves and white-yellowish color flowers are the edible portions. This plant is widespread in most humid tropical regions of Northeast India. The taxonomical classification of Sesbania grandiflora is represented in Table 9 37 . Seeds of Parkia speciosa consist of alkaloid, terpenoid, phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin. In the seeds, identified terpenoid was β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, lupeol, campesterol, and squalene. Seeds of Parkia speciosa are used traditionally to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney complications. Per 100 g of fresh seeds, contains 6.0 g protein, 1.6 g fat, 13 42 .
Leaves of Sesbania grandiflora contain alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannin, anthraquinone, steroid, and terpenoid 38 . Traditionally the mixture of fresh leaves juices and coconut milk is used topically for skin diseases 39 . 100 g of fresh leaves contain 8 g protein, 1 g fat, 12 g carbohydrate, 2 g crude fiber, and 93 kcal energy. The same quantity of leaves contains 1130 mg calcium, 80 mg phosphorus, and 4 mg iron. 100 g of the fresh flower contains a size of 1.28 g protein, a size of 0.04 g fat, 6.73 g carbohydrate, and 27 kcal energy. 100 g of flowers contains 18 mg calcium, 84 g iron, 12 mg magnesium, 30 mg phosphorus, 184 mg potassium, 15 mg sodium, 73 mg Vitamin C, 0.083 mg thiamine, and 0.081 mg riboflavin 40 . Leaves and flower of Sesbania grandiflora give antimicrobial activity, decreased serum cholesterol levels, wound healing activity, and anti-ulcer activity 41 .

Pineapple (Ananas comosus)
Ananas comosus ( Figure 2B) is the accepted name for the commonly known pineapple fruit. It is an herbaceous perennial plant. The adult plant will grow 1 m -1.5 m tall and inscribed in the general shape of a spinning top. This plant mostly grows in tropical forests, and the primary fruiting season is from April to May. In northeast India, pineapple is favorite for the fruit lovers in its fresh as well as processed forms like jam, jelly, and squashes. The taxonomical classification of Ananas comosus is described in Table 12 49 .

Custard Apple (Annona reticulate)
Annona reticulata ( Figure 2E) is a small deciduous or semi-evergreen tree. It has well known for its fruit, called custard apple. The plant needs a tropical climate for proper growth, but it can survive in subtropical conditions-this plant mostly located in northeast India, such as Tripura, Assam, and Manipur. The taxonomical classification of Annona reticulata is represented in Table 15 64 .
Ethyl acetate extract of seeds of Annona reticulata consists of cis-/trans-isomurisolenin, annoreticuin, annoreticuin-9-one, cis-/trans-bullatacinone, bullatacin, cis-trans-murisolinone, and squamocin. Annonaretin A, a new triterpenoid, was chemically investigated from the leaves (Chavan et al. 2014). Raw fruit peel extracts contain alkaloids, cholesterol, coumarins, flavonoids, phenols, and saponins. Traditionally the unripe fruit is used for dysentery and diarrhea. Leaves are used to prepare tea for relieving colic. A decoction of the leaves is used mostly in reducing malaria and syphilis. The roots used to reduce epilepsy 64 . Per 100 g of eatable part of fruits contains 1.98 g protein, 0.10 g fat, 27.49 g carbohydrate, 1.59 g crude fiber, and 118.84 kcal energy. Per 100 g of fruits contains 0.15 mg copper, 0.02 mg iron, 0.01 mg manganese, and 0.21 mg zinc. The fruits also contained a good amount of vitamin C (37.40 mg/100 g) 63 . Custard apple seed extract is potent for the remedy of the liver, prostate, pancreatic, cervical cancers, and leukemia. Fruit pulp possesses anti-oxidant activity, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer properties 65 .

Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa)
Annona squamosa ( Figure 2F) is a pint-sized, semievergreen tree that is 3-7 m tall and widely unfold crown or unevenly distribute branches. Leaves are single, 6-17 x 3-6 cm, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate. Flowers are greenish-yellow, fragrant, on slender hairy stalks. The accumulated fruit is formed together by various pistils of a flower, which are lightly joined together. The taxonomical classification of Annona squamosa is described in Table  16 66 .

Indian Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba)
It is a tiny deciduous tree or shrub of 5-12 meters (16-39 ft) height, generally with much thorny brushwood. The leaves are glossy-green, ovate-acute, 2-7 centimeters. February to March is the flowering reason of Ziziphus jujuba ( Figure 2G). The fruits were mature between 2 and 3 months after flowering. The taxonomical classification of Ziziphus jujuba is described in Table 17

Pummelo (Citrus maxima)
Citrus maxima ( Figure 2H) is a tree of 5-15 m height, with a somewhat crooked trunk 10-30 cm thick, low branches, asymmetrical, and extending. Leaves are compound, appearing dull, having one leaflet. Flowers are fragrant, borne singly, and fruit ranges tightly curved to oblate or pear-form. Early April is the flowering season of this plant. The taxonomical classification of Citrus maxima is described in Table 18

Plants of Vegetable Group
The literature survey observed that ten vegetable plants have medicinal values and nutritional importance (

Conclusion
In this review, we have focused on eighteen edible plants in Tripura, India for their nutraceutical values. Consumable parts of selected plants showed the right amount of proximate composition, minerals, and vitamins. These edible plant parts also diminish the possible causes like high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and may help to prevent cancer. This review helps natural product researchers to find out the new floras of Tripura with their biological and nutritional importance.