Pragati Khare1*, Kamal Kishore2, Dinesh Kumar Sharma3
1Department of Pharmacy, Bhagwant University, Raj., India.
2Department of Pharmacy, M.J.P. Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, U.P., India.
3Department of Pharmacy, Devsthali Vidyapeeth College of Pharmacy, Rudrapur, U.K., India.
*Address for Corresponding Author
Pragati Khare
Department of Pharmacy, Bhagwant University, Ajmer, Raj., India.
Abstract
Bauhinia variegata Linn (Mountain Ebony) belongs to the family Leguminosae (Caesalpinioideae). It is a medium-sized, deciduous tree, ascending to an altitude of 1,300 m in the Himalayas. The reported biological activities are anthelmintic, antiulcer, antitumour, antimicrobial, antileprosy, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antigoitrogenic, hepatoprotective and haemagglutination. The plant is widely used by the tribals throughout India and popular in various indigenous systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathy. Carbohydrates, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids are the important constituents of Kachnar. Maharishi Charaka and Sushruta have mentioned the properties of Kovidara and Karbudara in their Samhitas (Treatise). Both flower and bark of Kanchnara are used as medicine because of the presence of hentriacontane, octacosanol, β-sitasterol, stigmasterol, lupeol and amino acids. Kanchanara is one of the major ingredients of many important formulations used in Ayurveda system of medicine such as Kanchanara guggulu, Kanchan gutika, Gulkand kanchanara and Kanchanaradi kwatha, Ushirasava, Chandanasava, Kanchanara drava. In this review article, we discussed about synonyms, botanical description, phytochemicals, pharmacological activity and medicinal uses of Kachnar.
Keywords: Bauhinia variegata, Kachnar, flavonoids
