Monday, 25 August 2025

Qualitative Study on the Phytochemical Constituents and Antioxidant Activity Determination of the Flower Buds of Bauhinia variegate | Chapter 8 | Pharmaceutical Science: New Insights and Developments Vol. 7

Bauhinia variegata is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family ‘Fabaceae’, which is native to Southeast Asia, Southern China, Pakistan and India. This is a popular ornamental tree in sub-tropical and tropical climates. Almost all the parts of the tree Bauhinia variegata are used pharmacologically as in obesity, bleeding piles, worms, cough, inflammatory skin diseases, balancing activity of thyroxin production, haematuria, dysuria, anti-ulcer, menorrhagia and goitre and many others.

 

The objective of the present study was to do a qualitative evaluation of phytochemicals present in the flower buds of Bauhinia variegata (BV) which belongs to the family “Fabaceae’ which is well known for its scented flowers. A few of the Bauhinia variegata trees (6 trees) were spotted in Universiti Sains Malaysia (U.S.M.), Penang, near the old building of ‘Subaida Restourant’.

 

The young, premature flower buds of the plant were subjected to analysis for their phytochemical constituents as fresh material. The fresh raw flower buds of the plant were macerated and subjected to hot percolation separately. The maceration was carried out for 72 hours with absolute alcohol. The hot percolation (Soxhlet extraction) was carried out in intervals, approximately for 40 hours. The shade-dried flower buds were also subjected to maceration and hot percolation separately with absolute alcohol. The extracts were dried over a rotary evaporator. After evaporation, the greenish pinkish colour gummy mass was obtained from the fresh flower bud extractions. The evaporated extracts of shade-dried flower buds were of a greenish gummy mass. Some of the extracts were greenish yellow and greenish in colour. All evaporated extracts were dissolved and diluted in the respective solvents for phytochemical analysis. The qualitative screening of analytical results showed the presence of alkaloids, reducing sugars, terpenoids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids and carbohydrates in all the extractions. The tests for saponins revealed that this group was not present in any of the solvent extracts. Anthraquinones showed the presence in Flower A and Bud SA only, while this group was not present in Flower B, Bud A and Bud B samples. Antioxidant activity was also determined, showing highly antioxidant activity.

 

These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of Bauhinia variegata flower buds, and further studies are required to validate these results.

 

Author(s) Details

Kew K. S
Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah D.A., Malaysia.

 

Neivashini M
Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah D.A., Malaysia.

 

Ooi X. C
Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah D.A., Malaysia.

 

Nabila P
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Sains Malaysia (U.S.M.), Penang, Malaysia.

 

Naeem H. Khan
Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah D.A., Malaysia.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/psnid/v7/6031

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