Caesalpinia bonducella belongs to the Caesalpiniaceae family of plants. Although now found all over the World in tropical regions, Caesalpinia bonducella is often closely associated with mountainous and coastal regions of India and Sri Lanka. Medicinally the Caesalpinia bonducella plant is useful, and a number of health benefits from consumption have been described. In particular, seed, root, leaf and stem extracts of Caesalpinia bonducella appear to have effects on the central nervous system that include anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. These effects could be explained by the presence of a number of flavonoids or alkaloids in extracts of the plant. In a number of animal models of anxiety and depression, extracts of Caesalpinia bonducella proved to be beneficial at reducing anxious and depressive behaviour. Extracts of the plant may also provide adaptogenic properties, which may suggest the central nervous system effects of the plant are conferred through stress relieving effects.
The phytochemicals contained in the Caesalpinia bonducella extracts have been characterised. The roots, seeds, stems and leaves of the plant are responsible for its medicinal effects and are medicinally useful. The plant contains a number of fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, lignoceric, oleic and linoleic acid. There is also a number of phytosterols, diterpenes, triterpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids and a range of amino acids. These phytochemicals are responsible for the reported anxiolytic, antinociceptive, antidiarrhoeal, antidiabetic, adaptogenmic, antihelmintic, antioestrogenic, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antispasmodic, antifilarial, antioxidant, antiprofilerative, antipsoriatic, antitumour, and anticonvulsant activities of the plant. Image is of the seeds of Caesalpinia bonducella. Image from Amudha et al., 2016.
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