DOI: 10.21276/sajp.2019.8.4.1

Pages: 105-114

Bauhinia is a genus of more than 500 species of flowering plants in the subfamily Cercidoideae, in the large flowering plant of Fabaceae family. Bauhinia variegata, also known as Kachnar (Hindi), Mountain Ebony (English), is a medium-sized deciduous tree distributed in a sub-Himalayan tract and outer Himalaya of Punjab. It is also known as Camel foot tree because of shape of its leaves which resembles foot of a camel. Bauhinia variegata var. candida belonging to the family Leguminosae, are planted in the tropics as white orchid trees. Medicinally, it has been proven to possess various pharmacological activities like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, cytotoxic and antimetastatic activity. Studies revealed the presence of various phytochemical constituents mainly flavonoids (viz. quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin derivatives with quercetin and kaempferol), proanthocyanidins (viz, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, their oligomers, and epiafzelechin trimer), unsaturated fatty acids, several mono, di- and tri-hydroxy fatty acids, carbohydrates, saponins, terpenoids, alkaloids, steroids, tannins, amino acids, and proteins. The presence of lupeol in bark of this plant is responsible for anti-inflammatory action. The study on this plant is carried out to lay down the standards which could be useful for future studies.