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Vol 2 | Issue 3 | Jul – Sep 2023                                                                             Indian J Pharm Drug Studies | 90  

Review Article 

A brief review on Pharmacological potential of Nephelium lappaceum L 

Karunakar Hegde1, Thrupthi P Rai2, Ramkrishna Shabaraya A3 

From 1Head of the Department, 2PG Scholar, 3Prof. Principal, Department of Pharmacology, Srinivas College of Pharmacy 

Farangipete post, Mangalore - 574143. 

ABSTRACT 

Nephelium lappaceum L. belongs to the Sapindaceae family that grows in tropical and subtropical climates commonly known 

as Rambutan. Rambutan has a long history not only as a delicious and succulent fruit but also as a traditional medicine. The 

name "rambutan" comes from the Malay-Indonesian word "rambut," which means "hairy." Because of this, it is occasionally 

referred to as "hairy litchi." The fruit is an ovoid berry that ranges in color from yellow to orange-red, or from brilliant red to 

maroon. Its leathery skin is completely covered in spinterns of varying lengths. In Asia, where it is commonly consumed fresh, 

canned, or processed and loved for its reviving flavor and unique appearance, rambutan is a significant commercial crop. 

Researchers have discovered that rambutan fruit extracts include phytochemicals with antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, 

antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diarrheal, and cardiovascular activity. Rambutan is a superfruit that can be used 

as a contemporary medicine to treat illnesses and promote good health.  

Key words: Nephelium lappaceum L., Traditional, Phytochemical, Malay-Indonesian, Health 

he fruit known as Nephelium lappaceum L. is a 

member of the Sapindaceae family and is 

indigenous to tropical areas including Indonesia, 

China, India, Australia, Malaysia, Mexico, and Thailand. 

The Malay-Indonesian word rambut, which means "hairy," 

is the source of the name for the rambutan fruit. N. 

lappaceum, M. cuspidatum var. eriopetalum, N. jungland-

ifolium, N. maingayi, N. meduseum, N. ramboutan-ake, N. 

melanomiscum, N. reticulatum, and N. uncimatum are 

among the nine edible rambutan species that make up the 

Nephelium genus, which has 22 species worldwide [1]. 

The fruit is an ovoid berry that ranges in color from yellow 

to orange-red to brilliant red to maroon. The flesh has a 

sweet to very mild sour flavor and is juicy and translucent 

white in color [2]. It is a significant commercial crop in 

Asia and the fruit is valued for its reviving flavor and 

exotic appearance whether it is eaten fresh, preserved in 

syrup, or processed [3].  

A grayish-brown tree with an evergreen canopy, 

Nephelium lappaceum L grows to a height of 10 to 12  

Access this article online 

Received – 29th May 2023 

Initial review –  15th June 2023 

Accepted –  27th June 2023 
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meters.The components of rambutan include total weight: 

27.4%, peel: 13.2%, fruit: 11.7%, seeds: 2.53%, and seed 

coat: 60%1. The rambutan plant's various parts each have 

unique advantages and qualities. Additionally, a test for 

antioxidant capacity found that rambutan fruit has an 

antioxidant level of 71.5%, which is equal to ascorbic acid 

[4]. Since ancient times, the plant has been utilized in 

traditional medicine as a treatment for high blood pressure 

and diabetes. Additionally, fruits have traditionally been a 

possible source of minerals and other nutrients [5]. As a 

result, this article provides an updated assessment of this 

significant plant with a focus on the traditional usage, phy-

tochemistry, and pharmacological elements that will help 

researchers in the future find relevant scientific material 

(Figure 1, Table 1 and Table 2). 

 
Figure 1: Rambutan Fruit 

_______________________________________ 

Correspondence to: Karunakar Hegde, Head of the 

Department, Department of Pharmacology, Srinivas 

College of Pharmacy Farangipete post, Mangalore Email: 

khegde_sh2003@yahoo.com  

T 

mailto:khegde_sh2003@yahoo.com


Hegde K et al.                                                   Review on Pharmacological Potential of Nephelium lappaceum L 

Vol 2 | Issue 3 | Jul – Sep 2023                                                                             Indian J Pharm Drug Studies | 91  

Vernacular Names [6]  

Table 1: Vernacular names of Nephelium lappaceum L. 

Hindi Rambutan 

Malayalam Rambuttan 

Bengali Rambutan 

Kannada Rambutan 

Telugu Rambutan 

French Ramboutan 

English Rambutan 

Taxonomical Classification [5,7] 

Table 2: Taxonomical classification of Nephelium 

lappaceum L. 

Kingdom Plantae 

Subkingdom  Tracheobionta 

Superdivision Spermatophyta  

Division Magnoliophyta  

Class  Magnoliopsida  

Subclass Rosidae  

Order Sapindales 

Family Sapindaceae 

Genus Nephelium L. 

Species Naphelium lappaceum L. 

Habitat: A temperature range of 22–300°C and a 

maximum height of 700 m is deemed suitable for the 

growth and development of the rambutan in the majority of 

tropical Asian locales. High rainfall regions with 2,000 to 

5,000 mm of rain per year, distributed fairly consistently 

throughout the year, are typically regarded as appropriate, 

but supplemental irrigation may be necessary, particularly 

during the time from flower set to harvesting. Although the 

rambutan can be grown effectively in a variety of soils, 

rich, well-drained, sandy loams or clay loams that are rich 

in organic matter produce the best growth and fruiting. 

Alluvial soils made of basaltic rocks are the most frequently 

utilized forms of soil, however, crops grown on red lateritic 

soils typically succeed when fertilized appropriately using a 

mix of organic and inorganic fertilizers [8]. 

Distribution: Over 200 rambutan clones have been chosen 

for tropical Asia, and Malaysia has the widest variety of 

farmed and wild rambutan species. Rambutan is grown in 

Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Northern Australia, Sri 

Lanka, India, Madagascar, Costa Rica, the Congo, and a 

few South American nations. The biggest rambutan 

producers in the world are Thailand, Malaysia, and 

Indonesia. In Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, the 

Philippines, and Hawaii, rambutan farming is growing. In 

the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Thrissur, Pathanamthitta, 

Kottayam, and Ernakulum in Kerala, Nagerkoil, 

Courtralam, the Nilgiris, Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu in 

Karnataka, rambutan is grown in household gardens [1,9]. 

Botanical Description: Evergreen rambutan trees can 

reach heights of 12 to 20 meters. The 12m tall, grayish-

brown branching trees are vegetatively propagated. The 

lateral roots stay close to the soil surface while the main 

root penetrates several meters into the ground [5,9]. 

Leaves: The leaves have 2 to 4 pairs of petiolate, 

alternating, and pinnate leaflets. The leaflets range in size 

from 5 to 28 cm and have an ovate to elliptical shape. The 

rachis maybe 7 to 30 cm long and 3-10 cm wide, with a 

complete edge, while the petioles are thick and 0.5 to 1 cm 

long. The inflorescence is upright, has numerous branches, 

and has numerous blooms [9]. 

Flowers: Small, 2.5–5 mm, apetalous flowers are produced 

in upright terminal panicles and are 15–30 cm broad. 

Rambutan trees can be hermaphrodite, male, or female. 

Only male flowers, which are apetalous and have 5-7 

stamens and a primitive ovary, are produced by the male 

tree. A panicle can have between 300 and 500 blooms. The 

hermaphrodite trees produce hermaphrodite flowers with a 

bifid stigma, a bilocular ovary, and six inactive stamens. 

There are 500–800 flowers on a panicle. While the female 

tree only yields female flowers, the hermaphrodite trees 

also bear 0.5 to 0.8% male blossoms [9]. 

Fruit: The fruit is a loose pendant cluster of 10–20 round to 

oval drupes that are 3–8 cm long and 3–4 cm in diameter. 

Fruits have leathery, reddish, orange, or yellow skin that is 

coated with fleshy hair. The flesh (aril), which adheres to 

the seed, is 0.4–0.8 cm thick, transparent, juicy, acidic, 

subacidic, or sweet [1,9]. 

Seeds: The seed is 2-3 cm long, oblong, and flattened. Its 

color is shiny brown. The seed is soft, long to elliptical oval, 

20 to 25 mm wide, and between 12 and 22 mm long [9]. 

Chemical Constituents 

A phytochemical investigation carried out on Nephelium 

lappaceum L. epicarp revealed the presence of various 

phytoconstituents such as carbohydrates, alkaloids, steroids 

and sterols, glycosides, flavonoids, Triterpenoids, tannins, 

proteins and amino acids and essential elements in the peel 

like Mn, Fe, Zn, Mg, K, Na, Ca [10,11,12]. It was 

determined that the main fatty acids in a Rambutan seed are 

oleic, arachidonic, palmitic, stearic, gondoic, behenic, and 



Hegde K et al.                                                   Review on Pharmacological Potential of Nephelium lappaceum L 

Vol 2 | Issue 3 | Jul – Sep 2023                                                                             Indian J Pharm Drug Studies | 92  

palmitoleic. The chemical composition of the rambutan 

fruit pulp is proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, vitamin C, 

and iron.  Rambutan peel has a high content of phenolic 

compounds and antioxidant activity [11,12]. Ellagic acid, 

corilagin, and geraniin from the peels and reported for their 

antioxidant activities. Geraniin is the major constituent that 

exhibited much greater antioxidant activities [13,14].  

Pharmacological Activities 

Antioxidant activity: Analyzing the activity of free radical 

scavengers allows for the measurement of antioxidant 

capacity. Rambutan peel has similar free radical scavenging 

properties to geraniin [15]. Geraniin, which constitutes the 

majority of the peel of the rambutan fruit, is why [16]. Free 

radicals that might result in oxidative cell damage can be 

stabilized by antioxidants. The two antioxidant assays that 

receive the greatest attention are FRAP and the DPPH 

radical scavenging assay. There are additional reports of 

other assays such as the lipid peroxidation assay, the galvi-

noxyl assay, and the beta-carotene bleaching assay [17]. 

Antimicrobial activity: Peel from a rambutan fruit 

contains antibacterial properties. Salmonella typhi bacteria 

are actively inhibited by ethanol extract. The germs Vibrio 

cholera, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus 

epidermidis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were all 

susceptible to the effects of water, ether, and methanol 

extracts. The bacteria Proteus vulgaricus and Bacillus 

cereus were then susceptible to the chloroform extract's 

effects. Compared to the seeds of the rambutan fruit, which 

only have activity against the microorganisms Escherichia 

coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, S. subtilis, and Streptococcus 

pyogenes. The primary phenolic components found in the 

methanol extract of the Rambutan peel, including geraniin, 

ellagic acid, quercetin, rutin, and chorilagin, shown 

inhibitory efficacy against bacteria at various doses and 

incubation durations [16,18]. 

Anti-viral activity: Geraniin is the substance that has an 

impact on DENV-2 inhibition. The researchers concluded 

that geraniin compounds could prevent DENV-2 from 

acting by interfering with the virus or by interacting with 

viral receptors that were important in viral penetration into 

cells but did not involve cellular receptors. To increase 

contact with virions, or viral particles, geraniin functions 

extracellularly. This interaction can lessen DENV-2's 

ability to spread [19]. 

Anti-osteoporosis: Retinoic acid was incubated with the 

osteoporosis/OP rat model in vivo to assess its capacity to 

inhibit OP using histological, physicochemical, and serum 

biochemical indicators (serum calcium, phosphorus, 

alkaline phosphate/ALP, and osteocalcin/OCN). Rambutan 

peel was bigger than in the model group in the serum 

calcium and phosphorus of the positive and phenolic 

groups. Rambutan peel was able to lower ALP and OCN 

levels by 17.93% and 43.11%, respectively. These findings 

imply that rambutan peel can enhance retinoic acid-induced 

OP rats' blood markers of bone metabolism [20]. 

Anti-inflammatory activity: Rambutan peel's phenolic 

content has been found to have anti-inflammatory 

properties. Geraniin, catechins, and ellagic acid are the 

primary phenolic components that contribute to anti-

inflammatory effects. By lowering the synthesis of 

inflammatory mediators, or through free radicals and metal 

chelating action, phenolic substances have anti-

inflammatory effects [21]. 

Anti-diabetic activity: In test animals, the presence of 

flavonoids such tannins, polyphenols, quercetin, catechins, 

and EGCG can lower blood glucose levels by preventing 

the absorption of glucose, which in turn stimulates the 

release of insulin and indirectly overrides the antioxidant 

process. Geraniin's capacity to stop formation accounts for 

its ability to lower blood glucose levels [22]. In rats given 

alloxan, the ethanol extract of rambutan and durian fruit 

peel can reduce blood glucose levels. Rambutan fruit peels' 

ethanolic extract contains EGCG, quercetin, and geraniin, 

all of which demonstrated antihyperglycemia activity [23]. 

Anti-hypercholesterolemia: Utilizing three different 

doses, examine the impact of decreasing blood cholesterol 

on rambutan peel extract. It was discovered that rambutan 

fruit peel extract significantly reduced blood cholesterol 

levels in rats, 60.75% more effectively than the positive 

control. This demonstrates how powerful an anti-

hypercholesterolemia with herbal medicinal components 

the ethanolic extract of rambutan peel is [24]. 

Anticancer activity: Rambutan peel extract was found to 

have an antiproliferative impact on the cell lines MDA-

MB0231 and MG-63 after 72 hours of incubation. 

Polyphenol molecules are believed to have anti-cancer 

properties. According to some substances, biological 

reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be neutralized. ROS is a 

type of organism that fights cancer. While ROS can be 

lowered by either natural or synthetic antioxidants, high 

ROS reduction can prevent cancer [25]. 

Antidiarrhoeal activity: When evaluated using a rat model 

of castor oil-induced diarrhea, the methanol extract of the 

seeds was found to have considerable antidiarrheal action. 

When compared to loperamide, the extract showed a 

substantial suppression of fecal dropping [26]. 



Hegde K et al.                                                   Review on Pharmacological Potential of Nephelium lappaceum L 

Vol 2 | Issue 3 | Jul – Sep 2023                                                                             Indian J Pharm Drug Studies | 93  

Cardiovascular activity: According to a study, ethanol 

extract from rambutan bark had immediate impacts on rats' 

respiratory and cardiovascular responses. Increases in 

MABP, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate were seen in 

the data, which showed a protracted cardiovascular 

response [27]. 

CONCLUSION 

Nephelium lappaceum L., a member of the sapindaceae 

family and commonly referred to as "Rambutan," has been 

utilized for generations in traditional medicine. Fruits have 

consistently been a possible source of minerals and other 

nutrients. Numerous phytochemicals, including 

carbohydrates, alkaloids, steroids and sterols, glycosides, 

flavonoids, triterpenoids, tannins, proteins, and amino 

acids, have been found in Nephelium lappaceum L.'s 

various parts. The pharmacological actions of Nephelium 

lappaceum L. include antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, 

antiosteoporosis, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic, 

anti-hypercholesterolemic, anticancer, antidiarrheal, and 

cardiovascular. Every component of the rambutan has 

medicinal and nutritional value, in addition to having many 

additional uses. 

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Hegde K et al.                                                   Review on Pharmacological Potential of Nephelium lappaceum L 

Vol 2 | Issue 3 | Jul – Sep 2023                                                                             Indian J Pharm Drug Studies | 94  

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How to cite this article: Karunakar Hegde, Thrupthi P 

Rai, Ramkrishna Shabaraya A. A brief review on 

pharmacological potential of Nephelium lappaceum L. 

Indian J Pharm Drug Studies. 2023; 2(3) 90-94. 

Funding: None             Conflict of Interest: None Stated 

 


