NUTRITIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF KACHNAR (BAUHINIA VARIEGATA) IN MANAGING DIABETES MELLITUS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71000/hdgcah09Keywords:
Diabetes Mellitus, Blood glucose , Antihyperglycemic Agents, , Bauhinia variegata, Dietary Supplements, Phytotherapy, Prediabetic StateAbstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus affects more than 537 million people worldwide and continues to rise at an alarming pace, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Pakistan remains among the nations with the highest burden, where limited access, high treatment costs, and adverse drug reactions underscore the need for safer and affordable alternatives. Bauhinia variegata (Kachnar), a traditional South Asian medicinal plant, has gained scientific attention due to its rich nutritional composition and phytochemical profile, suggesting its potential usefulness in early metabolic intervention.
Objective: To evaluate the nutritional composition of selected parts of Bauhinia variegata and assess the antihyperglycemic effects of stem bark and leaf supplementation in individuals with prediabetes.
Methods: A comprehensive nutritional assessment was conducted on the leaves, flowers, and seeds of Bauhinia variegata, including proximate analysis, total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, FRAP assay, and vitamin and mineral evaluation using standardized protocols. The stem bark and leaves—identified as the most nutrient-dense—were dried, powdered, and encapsulated. Sixty prediabetic adults (30–60 years) were randomly assigned into four groups: placebo (T0), 1 g/day (T1), 2 g/day (T2), and 3 g/day (T3). Fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, liver function tests (LFTs), and renal function tests (RFTs) were recorded at baseline and after 15 days. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: FBG values decreased progressively in all treatment groups, with T2 reducing from 119.48 ± 5.32 mg/dL to 100.06 ± 9.19 mg/dL and T3 from 121.48 ± 5.32 mg/dL to 98.83 ± 3.31 mg/dL. HbA1c demonstrated dose-dependent improvement, with T3 decreasing from 6.40 ± 0.20% to 6.01 ± 0.13%. Minimal change was observed in the placebo group. LFTs and RFTs remained within normal physiological limits across all groups, confirming short-term safety.
Conclusion: Bauhinia variegata stem bark and leaf supplementation produced a clear dose-response effect with significant antihyperglycemic action in prediabetic adults, suggesting its potential as a safe and accessible plant-based adjunct for early glycemic management.
References
Ashraf, R. A., Awaisi, M. F. A., Riaz, H. F., Ali, M., Nawaz, Y., Mazhar, N., Shafiq, A. (2024). The study of socioeconomic status, hematological variations and biochemical analysis among diabetic patients. History of Medicine, 10(2), 998- 1014.
Baliyan, S., Mukherjee, R., Priyadarshini, A., Vibhuti, A., Gupta, A., Pandey, R. P., & Chang, C. M. (2022). Determination of Antioxidants by DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity and Quantitative Phytochemical Analysis of Ficus religiosa. Molecules, 27(4).
Ceriello, A., Prattichizzo, F., Phillip, M., Hirsch, I. B., Mathieu, C. & Battelino, T. (2022). Glycaemic management in diabetes: old and new approaches. The lancet Diabetes & endocrinology, 10(1), 75-84.
Kumar, S., Baniwal, P., Kaur, J. & Kumar, H. (2020). Kachnar (bauhinia variegata). Antioxidants in fruits: Properties and health benefits, 365-377.
Kumari, I., Kaurav, H. & Choudhary, G. (2021). Bauhinia variegate (Kanchnara), An ornamental Plant with significant value in Ayurvedic and Folk Medicinal system. Himalayan Journal of Health Sciences, 6(2), 1-16.
Lovic, D., Piperidou, A., Zografou, I., Grassos, H., Pittaras, A. & Manolis, A. (2020). The growing epidemic of diabetes mellitus. Current vascular pharmacology, 18(2), 104-109.
Li, E., Maunder, A., Liu, J., Pandey, C., Cave, A., O'Fee, A., & Ee, C. (2025). The efficacy and safety of herbal medicines for glycaemic control and insulin resistance in individuals with type 2 diabetes: an umbrella review. BMC Complement Med Ther, 25(1), 341.
Mehran, A., Tariq, Q., Ali, M., Farooq, M., Ahmed, E., Shehzadi, K., . . . Jahangir, A. (2025). ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC (ECG) ABNORMALITIES IN DIABETIC PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH CHEST PAIN: CORRELATION WITH GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND CARDIAC ENZYMES. Insights-Journal of Health and Rehabilitation, 3, 131-140.
Sagar, P. K., Sajwan, S. & Murugeswaran, R. (2025). Bauhinia Spp., -Kachnar: Medicinal Plant Biodiversity, Geographical Distribution, Bioactive Phytochemical Constituents And Their Ethno-Pharmacology, Therapeutics Medicinal Values. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, 13(1), 55-65.
Ojo OA, Ajeigbe D, Ogunlakin AD, Odesanmi OE, Ayomipo M, Berana G, et al. Preclinical antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of Erythrophleum africanum (benth.) harms in streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy. J Complement Integr Med. 2024;21(3):349-59.
Abdou HM, Abd Elkader HAE. The potential therapeutic effects of Trifolium alexandrinum extract, hesperetin and quercetin against diabetic nephropathy via attenuation of oxidative stress, inflammation, GSK-3β and apoptosis in male rats. Chem Biol Interact. 2022;352:109781.
Murali S, Smith ER, Tiong MK, Tan SJ, Toussaint ND. Interventions to Attenuate Cardiovascular Calcification Progression: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(23): e031676.
Nabiyouni F, Vaezi G, Malekirad AA. Hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic activities of Alhagi camelorum in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in Wistar rats. Arch Physiol Biochem. 2021;127(4):296-303.
Hago S, Mahrous EA, Moawad M, Abdel-Wahab S, Abdel-Sattar E. Evaluation of antidiabetic activity of Morus nigra L. and Bauhinia variegata L. leaves as Egyptian remedies used for the treatment of diabetes. Nat Prod Res. 2021;35(5):829-35.
Syed AA, Reza MI, Garg R, Goand UK, Gayen JR. Cissus quadrangularis extract attenuates diabetic nephropathy by altering SIRT1/DNMT1 axis. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2021;73(11):1442-50.
Irudayaraj SS, Jincy J, Sunil C, Duraipandiyan V, Ignacimuthu S, Chandramohan G, et al. Antidiabetic with antilipidemic and antioxidant effects of flindersine by enhanced glucose uptake through GLUT4 translocation and PPARγ agonism in type 2 diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2022;285:114883.
Rey DP, Echeverry SM, Valderrama IH, Rodriguez IA, Ospina LF, Mena Barreto Silva FR, et al. Antidiabetic Effect of Passiflora ligularis Leaves in High Fat-Diet/Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice. Nutrients. 2024;16(11).
Gomaa HF, Abdelmalek IB, Abdel-Wahhab KG. The Anti-Diabetic Effect of Some Plant Extracts Against Streptozotocin - Induced Diabetes Type 2 in Male Albino Rats. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2021;21(8):1431-40.
Liao M, Wang X. Ameliorating effect of Chinese jujube polyphenol on blood glucose oxidative stress in type 2 diabetic rats. J Diabetes Complications. 2024;38(9):108804.
Sharma, A., Chandel, V., & Roy, S. (2025). Exploring the bioactive properties and diverse uses of Bauhinia variegata: a comprehensive review. Discover Plants, 2(1), 86.
Singh, S. C., Singh, H., & Choudhary, M. (2024). A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, single-center, comparative study evaluating Phaseolean® safety and efficacy in overweight/obese participants. Heliyon, 10(15), e35144.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Beenish Mushtaque, Hamna Tahir, Zarmina Taj, Nargis Aman, Carita Johnson Dean, Sana Saadat, Rawia Sheikh, Fatima Ashraf Mughal, Neelum Shahzadi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
