Bintaro (Cerbera odollam and Cerbera manghas): an overview of its eco-friendly use, pharmacology, and toxicology

Abstract

Bintaro is a tropical mangrove plant often used as a shade tree found in Asia, Australia, Madagascar, and the Islands of the Western Pacific Ocean. The word Bintaro is also often pinned to its closest relative species, the Cerbera odollam . Flower color is one of the distinguishing features between these two species. Human poisoning with the cardiotoxic plant Bintaro is common in Southeast Asia because it bears a fruit that yields a powerful poison that has been used for suicide and homicide, hence it is also called the “Indian suicide tree”. The seeds of Bintaro contain Cerberin, a cardiac glycoside toxin of the heart that blocks the calcium ion channels in heart muscles, resulting in disruption of the heartbeat most often fatally. The bio-active compound in the kernels of Bintaro varies due to which plant possesses other properties as well. The plant may also be used for medicinal purposes as it shows many pharmaceutical properties. The seeds of the plant have auspicious anticancer properties through apoptotic activity and the leaf extract of the plant was screened for its antioxidant activities. In addition, it is also used as an insecticide, pesticide, or antifungal agent. This review highlights the Pharmaceutical, toxicological, and environmentally friendly approaches of Bintaro. Graphical abstract