Antioxidants from Bauhinia and Future Research Gap

Abstract

Flower buds of Bauhinia are utilized as a human means of nourishment, and the stem and leaves serve as feed for livestock across the world. This chapter highlights the medicinal importance of various parts of Bauhinia plants. Bauhinia plants’ edible regions are an excellent source of phytochemicals that have notable potential as antioxidants. Various phytochemical compounds that include Saponins, glycosides (kaempferol-3-glucoside), cardiac glycosides, sterols (β-sitosterol), tannins, phenolics, alkaloids, terpenoids (Lupeol), quinones, flavanones and flavonoids reside in these plants. These plants exhibit powerful potential as antioxidants for lipid-reducing, metal-reducing, free radical scavenging activities and metal-chelating. These also demonstrate an encouraging impact on glutathione peroxidase activity, an antioxidant enzyme. Moreover, they inhibit tyrosinase activity. Moreover decreased the levels of different liver markers (ALT, AST and ALP), and antioxidant enzymes and shift them to normal levels. Among the several Bauhinia genus species that have been explored for their antioxidant potential and phytochemical constitution, Bauhinia variegata seeds, leaves and florets have superior antioxidant and phytochemical properties. Other Bauhinia genus species that are packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals include Bauhinia vahlii, Bauhinia strychnifolia Craib, Bauhinia rufescens, Bauhinia racemosa and Bauhinia purpurea. Moreover, many factors influence the anti-oxidant potential of medicinal plants but up to the study of the year 2023, only the impact of solvent on the Bauhinia species’ antioxidant potential has been studied, it is a necessity that upcoming research must focus on the research on remaining factors for maximum yield of antioxidants from this antioxidant-rich plant. The antioxidant capacity and phytochemical composition of Bauhinia plants render them the most suitable candidates for use in therapeutics and dietary supplements.