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Gen info
- Bauhinia is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, subfamily Cercidoideae, and tribe Bauhinieae. (18)
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Bauhinia acuminata is a species of flowering shrub native to tropical southeastern Asia.
- Etymology: The genus name honors the Bauhin brothers Gaspard (1560-1624) and Johann 1541-1613), Swiss-French botanists. (18) The specific epithet acuminata derives from Latin, referring to the abruptly pointed leaf apex.
 Botany
• Bambang is a shrub growing to a height of 3 to 4 meters. Leaves are bilobed, 8 to 15 centimeters long and broad, deeply cleft from the tip to about one third of the length of the leaf. Base is somewhat cordate and the lobes are acute. Petioled is 1.5 to 4 centimeters long. Flowers are fragrant, showy and white, about 8 centimeters across; yellow-tipped stamens are ten. Pods are flat, up to 8 to 15 centimeters long and 1.8 centimeters broad.
• Growth form: Shrub, or small tree, reaching up to about 3m tall. Foliage: Ovate to cordate leaves, measuring 9 - 12 by 8 - 12 cm, abaxial is greyish pubescent, adaxial is glabrous, petiole measuring about 2.5 - 4 cm long. Stems: Strong, smooth, upright stems with many slender branches, young twigs are usually pubescent. Flowers: Flowers white, petals elliptic to oblanceolate, sometimes 3 - 15 flowers in a raceme. Fruit: Pods are dark brown, glabrous, usually contain 5 - 12 seeds. (Flora & Fauna Web) (19)
 Distribution
- Native to the Philippines.
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Ornamental cultivation.
- Grown as hedge plant.
- Also native to Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, China South-Central, China Southeast, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Is., Northern Territory. (3)
Constituents
- Phytochemical screening of leaves yielded starch, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, reducing sugars, amino acids, and lignins. (6)
- Hydrodistillation of fresh leaves of B. acuminata for essential oil yielded nineteen compounds comprising 89.9% of leaf oil. Major constituents were phytol (65.90%), sesquiterpenoids ß-caryophyllene (13.87%) and caryophyllene oxide (3.15%).
(7)
- Preliminary phytochemical screening of leaves yielded glycoside, steroid, and flavonoids, with absence of alkaloids and tannins. Paper chromatography yielded kaempferol, quercetin, and apigenin, along with derivatives of quercetin i.e., quercetin-3-glucoside. (16)
- Phytochemical screening of ethanolic extract of flowers yielded carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, saponins, flavonoids, oils and fats. (see study below) (23)
- Preliminary phytochemical screening of ethanolic leaf extract yielded flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids. (see study below) (24)
Properties
- Studies have shown thrombolytic, cytotoxic, antidiarrheal, antibacterial, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, analgesic properties.
Parts utilized
- Leaves, bark, roots, flowers.
Uses
Folkloric
- No reported medicinal use
in the Philippines.
- In India, decoction of bark and leaves used for biliousness and asthma. In Malaysia and Indonesia, used for cough and the common cold.
(2)
 - In India, bark and leaves used in treatment of bladder stones, venereal disease, and leprosy. Paste of leaves applied locally to treat skin diseases. Roots boiled in oil applied to burns. (2) Leaves and bark used for treatment of asthma.
- Leaves used internally and externally for treatment of scabies. Also used for insect bites, snake bites, scorpion stings, constipation, edema, fever, inflammation, and rheumatism. Roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds used as laxative and purgative. (23)
Studies
• Cytotoxic / Thrombolytic / Leaves: Study evaluated the cytotoxic and thrombolytic activity of a methanolic extract of leaves of B. acuminata. The extract showed remarkable cytotoxic activity in brine shrimp lethality bioassay, comparable to vincristin sulphate. It showed significant thrombolytic effect using streptokinase as standard. (4)
• Antidiarrheal / Leaves: Study evaluated methanolic extracts of B. acuminata for antidiarrheal and antimicrobial activity. A crude methanolic extract showed significant antidiarrheal activity with significant reduction in magnesium induced enteropooling and dose dependent effect in castor oil induced diarrhea. Study failed to show any antimicrobial activity. (5)
• Antibacterial / Seed: Crude extract from seed kernels of Bauhinia acuminata showed strong antibacterial activity against various pathogenic gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria; the most sensitive, Bacillus subtilis and the least sensitive, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (8)
• Membrane-Stabilizing Activity / Leaves: Study evaluated methanol extracts and fractions of leaves of B. acuminata for antimicrobial screening and membrane stabilizing activity. Results showed highly effective membrane stabilizing activity as evidenced by prevention of lysis of erythrocyte by heat and hypotonic solution. In this study, the antimicrobial activity was negligible. (9)
• Silver Nanoparticles / Comparative Biologic Activity with Leaf Extracts: Study reported on the synthesis of silver nanoparticles from leaf extracts of Bauhinia acuminata and Biophytum sensitivum. GC-MS analysis pf AgNPs showed presence of bioactive compounds like DL-alpha-tocopherol and Alphal-tocopherol-beta-D-mannose. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts showed the presence of carbohydrates, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and triterpenoids. The methanol extract of B. acuminata showed high DPPH scavenging activity of 80% compared to that of the silver nanoparticle. Percentage hemolysis of all extracts were 6%-39%. Antimicrobial testing of the leaf extracts showed excellent activity towards B. cereus and L. monocytogenes. Study showed the plant extracts can be used as potent therapeutics than silver nanoparticles. (10)
• Anthelmintic Activity / Housefly Worms / Leaves: Study evaluated the anthelmintic activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of various concentrations of B. acuminata leaf extracts against housefly worms. Phytochemical screening yielded tannins and saponins in both extracts. Results showed significant dose dependent anthelmintic activity by measures of paralysis and death. The ethanol extract showed higher activity than the aqueous extract. (11)
• Nanoparticles / Antimicrobial / Larvicidal / Leaves: Study evaluated silver nanoparticles fabricated with Bauhinia acuminata leaf extract. The inexpensive aqueous extract was used as capping and reducing agent. The AgNPs showed high antimicrobial activity. Larvicidal activity against malaria, Zika virus, and filariasis vectors was reported. Results suggested the B. acuminata synthesized AgNPs have promising potential in antimicrobial food packaging as well as foliar spray to control plant pathogens, and to synergize the efficacy of fungicidal and larvicidal formulations. (12)
• Antinociceptive / Acute Toxicity Study / Leaves: Study evaluated aqueous and alcoholic leaf extracts for acute toxicity and in experimentally induced pain in animals. Acute toxicity study by OECD guideline 423 showed both extracts were safe at dose of 5000 mg/k. In hot plate test, both extracts showed significantly (p<0.001) antinociceptive activity. In hot plate test, both extracts significant reduced (p<0.001) the number of writhes. In tail immersion test, both extracts showed significant increase in tail withdrawal response (p<0.001). (13)
• Antioxidant / Leaves: Study evaluated methanol extract of leaves and various fractions of B. acuminata for biologic screening, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Total phenol content ranged from 15/90 mg of GAE/g extractives to 124.80 mg GAE/gm of extractives. The aqueous extract showed highest phenolic content. Antioxidant activity of IC50s in DPPH method ranged from 22.01 to 77.79. Of the extractives, carbon tetrachloride showed highest free radical scavenging activity. (14)
• Ameliorative Effect in Chronic Arsenicosis / Stem Bark: Study evaluated the ameliorative effect of B. acuminata stem bark powder against sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) induced toxicity in adult albino rats. Treatment with stem bark powder significantly )p<0.06) reduced arsenic accumulation in tissues, hair, and faeces.
Results showed oral treatment with B. acuminata stem bark powder could ameliorate induced arsenicosis. (15)
• Hepatoprotective / Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Toxicity: Study evaluated the hepatoprotective activity of B. acuminata against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity. Hepatic damage was induced by CCl4 in combination with olive oil (1:1) in a single dose. Results showed hepatoprotective activity as evidenced by lowering of CCl4-induced elevations of SGOT, SGPT, ALP, and bilirubin levels (p<0.01), along with confirmatory histopathological examination of liver tissues. (17) Study evaluated ethanolic and aqueous extracts of B. acuminata leaves for hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced albino rats. The extracts- and silymarin-treated animal groups showed significant decrease in activities of biochemmical parameters like SGOT, SGPT, ALP, and lipid peroxidase i.e., MDA level which were elevated by CCl4 intoxication. High dose of 400 mg/kg was more effective than 200 mg/kg. Results suggest significant hepatoprotective activity for the EE compared to AE against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. (21)
• Attenuation of Lung Cancer Cell Proliferation / Leaves: Study evaluated the efficacy and suitability of chloroform crude extracts B. acuminata (CEBA) leaves fractions to attenuate lung cancer on in-vitro lung cancer cell lines, in-vivo benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) induced mice model and in silico molecular docking. CEBA was found to be cytotoxic against lung cancer cell lines. Oral CEBA showed good anti-lung cancer potential in BaP induced lung cancer mice. In vivo showed reduced tumor volume on BaP induced C57BL/6 mice model. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants level significantly increased after CEBA treatment. Biochemical and histological parameters were normal in CEBA treated animals. Molecular docking showed good binding between ligands of EA fraction and receptors of lung. Results confirmed the antiproliferative capability of the EA fractions of the chloroform extract on lung cancer models. (20)
• Antimicrobial / Thrombolytic / Cytotoxic / Flowers: Study evaluated ethanolic flower extracts for antimicrobial, thrombolytic, and cytotoxic activity. Antimicrobial activity by disc diffusion assay showed mild antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, enterophathogenic E. coli, Salmonella typhi, and Vibrio mimicus. Thrombolytic activity tested showed mild (14.57%) clot lysis compared to standard streptokinase at 90% . Moderate cytotoxicity was observed with mortality rate of brine shrimp, increasing with increasing concentration. (22)
• Antidiabetic / Flowers: Study evaluated the antidiabetic activity of ethanolic flower extracts of B. acuminata in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Phytochemical screening yielded carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, saponins, flavonoids, oils and fats. The extract exhibited significant antidiabetic effect at 300 mg/kbw as comparable with standard drug Glibenclamide. (23)
• Antihyperlipidemic / Leaves: Study evaluated the potential antihyperlipidemic activity of ethanolic leaf extract of B. acuminata in atherogenic diet-induced rats. Preliminary phytochemical screening yielded flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids. Acute toxicity atudy using OECD Guideline No 423 showed maximum safe dose at 5000 mg/kg. Atorvastatin was used as standard. Dose of 400 mg/kg showed significant reduction in total cholesterol, VLDL, triglycerides, along with increase in HDL and reduction in random blood glucose. (24)
• Antidiabetic / Antioxidative / Stem Bark: Study evaluated the in-vitro effect of hydro-methanol (3:2) B. acuminata stem bark extract on diabetes and diabetes-linked oxidative stress. Doses of 10, 20, and 40 mg/10 mL of in-vitro media reduced the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase significantly (p<0.05). Inhibition of enteric alpha-glucosidase activity was noted. Activities of antioxidant enzymes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level were recovered significantly (p<0.05) in hepatic and renal tissues after extract treatment. Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase activities were reduced in tissues. Results showed that at 1 mg/ml, the extract exhibited significant effects on metabolic function of diabetic rat tissues with increase in endogenous antioxidant levels. (25)
• Analgesic / Quercetin / Leaves: Study evaluated centrally and peripherally medicated analgesic activity of methanol extract of leaves of B. acuminata and isolated flavonol, quercetin. Analgesic activity was found to be dose dependent and effective in acetic acid induced visceral pain model (p<0.01). In hot plate method, the extract showed significant analgesic (p<0.01) at 200 and 400 mg/kbw. Formalin induced tonic pain model also exhibited similar results with better analgesic at late phase (10-30 min). The analgesic activity may be correlated with the presence of flavonoids and alkaloids, which were main constituents in leaves. (26)
Availability
- Wilcrafted.
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Ornamental cultivation.
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