Research Summary on the Effects of Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea)

Cognitive and Neurological Benefits: Studies have demonstrated that methanolic extracts from Clitoria ternatea (CT) have beneficial effects on the central nervous system (CNS). These effects include improved cognitive functions, reduced stress and anxiety, antidepressant-like effects, and enhanced seizure control. The extracts have been linked to increased acetylcholine levels in the hippocampus, potentially explaining the observed improvements in learning and memory.

Anxiolytic and Antidepressant Potential: Butterfly Pea exhibits potential anxiolytic properties by increasing exploration in open environments and demonstrating antidepressant activity by reducing immobility in stress tests. Furthermore, it has shown efficacy in preventing stress-induced ulcers and lessening chemically and electrically triggered seizures.

Memory Enhancement: Apart from its anxiolytic and antidepressant properties, CT extracts have also been associated with memory enhancement. This is reflected in the shortened time taken by subjects to find a platform in a maze and improved memory recognition, suggesting that the plant could be a source of shankhpushpi, an Ayurvedic remedy for memory enhancement.

Antiasthmatic Properties: Ethanol extracts from Clitoria ternatea roots have demonstrated antiasthmatic activity, potentially due to the presence of flavonoids or saponins. The plant's safety profile was evidenced by a high LD50 in toxicity tests.

Antioxidant Capacity: Aqueous extracts of Clitoria ternatea flowers show significant antioxidant activities, which supports their use in cosmetic formulations. These extracts also maintain some antioxidant activity when incorporated into an eye gel formulation.

Antihyperlipidemic Effects: Hydroalcoholic extracts from Clitoria ternatea have been found to significantly lower serum cholesterol and triglycerides in rat models, comparable to standard hyperlipidemic drugs.

Pharmacological Research: Clitoria ternatea has been a subject of various pharmacological studies, including the production of the anti-cancer compound taraxerol in genetically modified root cultures. Additionally, a novel high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method has been developed for measuring taraxerol content in the plant's extracts.

Anthocyanin Compounds: Research has isolated new anthocyanins from the flowers of Clitoria ternatea, which are variations of delphinidin with potential for various applications.

Conclusion: Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea) exhibits a range of beneficial activities for the CNS and other biological functions. Its extracts have shown promise in cognitive enhancement, stress management, seizure control, and as a potential treatment for asthma. Despite these promising findings, further research is required to fully understand the active components and mechanisms behind these effects.

References:

1. Clitoria ternatea and the CNS
2. Clitoria ternatea root extract enhances acetylcholine content in rat hippocampus
3. Nootropic, anxiolytic and CNS-depressant studies on different plant sources of shankhpushpi
4. An update on Shankhpushpi, a cognition-boosting Ayurvedic medicine
5. Phyto - chemistry and pharmacology of shankapushpi - four varieties
6. Production of triterpenoid anti-cancer compound taraxerol in Agrobacterium-transformed root cultures of butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.)
7. Validation of HPTLC method for the analysis of taraxerol in Clitoria ternatea
8. Eight new anthocyanins, ternatins C1-C5 and D3 and preternatins A3 and C4 from young clitoria ternatea flowers
9. Five new anthocyanins, ternatins A3, B4, B3, B2, and D2, from Clitoria ternatea flowers
10. Evaluation of antiasthmatic activity of Clitoria ternatea L. roots
11. [Isolation of stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione from Hamelia patens and Clitoria ternatea]
12. Malonylated flavonol glycosides from the petals of Clitoria ternatea
13. Oligosaccharides in several Philippine indigenous food legumes: determination, localization and removal
14. The antioxidant activity of Clitoria ternatea flower petal extracts and eye gel
15. Clitoria ternatea (Linn) root extract treatment during growth spurt period enhances learning and memory in rats
16. Influence of clitoria ternatea extracts on memory and central cholinergic activity in rats
17. Altered dendritic arborization of amygdala neurons in young adult rats orally intubated with Clitorea ternatea aqueous root extract
18. In vitro inhibitory effects of plant-based foods and their combinations on intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase
19. Antihyperlipidemic activity of Clitoria ternatea and Vigna mungo in rats
20. Diuretic activity of roots of Clitoria ternatea L. in dogs
21. Screening for estrogenic and antiestrogenic activities of plants growing in Egypt and Thailand
22. Behavioural and neurochemical evaluation of Perment an herbal formulation in chronic unpredictable mild stress induced depressive model

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