University of Northern Philippines

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY (MEDICAL

BIOLOGY)
College of Arts and Sciences

Ethnobothanical and
Pharmacological Activities of
Indegenous Plants in Ilocos Sur

Parel, Kristina
G. Presto, Maria
Victoria D.
Sheik, Imran
 KUMPITIS/
BUTTERFLY PEA
(Clitorea ternetea)

Parel, Kristina
G. Presto, Maria
Victoria P.
Sheik, Imran
 OVERVIEW
• The genus Clitoria occurs in tropical and subtropical environments
across the globe.
• The butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) is a vigorous, trailing, scrambling
or climbing tropical legume.
• Its sparsely pubescent stems are sub- erect and woody at the base
and may be up to 5 m long.
• The leaves are pinnate, bearing 5-7 elliptical, 3-5 cm long leaflets.
• The flowers are solitary or paired, deep blue or pure white, about 4 cm
broad.
• The fruits are flat, linear, sparsely pubescent pods that dehisce violently
at maturity and throw 8-10 dark and shiny seeds .
 Overview o f the Plant
• Clitoria ternetea is well known perennial climber herb from family
Fabaceae with slender downy stem, found throughout the tropical
region of Philippines, India and other countries, growing wild and also
in gardens, bearing white or blue flowers. It is commonly known as
Aparajita and Koyal in Hindi and Butterfly pea in English.

• The blue tea plant, Clitoria Ternatea, is packed with health boosting
antioxidants.
 Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological
Activities of Butterfly Pea

The plant showed many pharmacological effects including antioxidant,

hypolipidemic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic,
antidiabetic, antimicrobial, gastro-intestinal antiparasitic, insecticidal,
ayurvedic medicine that has been used for centuries for neurological
disorders
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA

The Kumpitis (Clitorea ternetea) is an Iloko term and this plant found at
Manaboc, Burgos Ilocos Sur. The view of the study area is dominated by hill,
farm, gardens, mountains that are totally covered with fruit bearing trees,
vegetables and root crops.
 Discussion o f the plant parts utilized

Root was used for the treatment of ascetics, enlargement of

the abdominal viscera, sore throat and skin diseases.
Seeds and leaves were widely used as a brain tonic and to
promote memory and intelligence.
Seeds were used in swollen joints, crushed seeds are taken with
cold or boiled water for urinary problems.
The flower of Butterfly Plea: It has natural antioxidants, helps
improve blood circulation,helps prevent hair loss and graying. It also
cleanses blood, improves night vision, revitalizes skin and hair.
Benefits o f Butterfly P e a
Antioxidant properties
Anti-diabetic properties
Reduces stress and anxiety
Beneficial for hair and skin
Anti-cancer and anti-tumor
properties
Anti - microbial properties
Anti - inflammatory
properties Improves eyesight
Helps bring down fever
Detoxifies body
Anti- HIV
Anti- Asthmatic
 ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES

• Flavanoids, anthocyanins, and

phenolic compounds in Butterfly
Pea flowers activate antioxidant
activity which helps decrease
oxidative stress.

• Consuming antioxidant-rich foods is

vital for health since they fight off
free radicals, which are the primary
reason for premature aging the body
 ANTI-DIABETIC PROPERTIES

• Butterfly Pea has shown to inhibit

glucose intake from the diet.

• This tea is amazing for diabetic patients

as it helps regulate blood sugars levels.

• A cup of blue butterfly tea taken it

between meals will help regulated
blood sugar levels.
 REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY

• Antioxidant present in blue tea have

a charismatic effect on human body
that helps them to lift up our mood
and relax our mind

• Drinking blue tea get a good night's

rest. It also helps improve brain
function and memory.
 BENEFICIAL FOR HAIR
AND SKIN
• Any ingredient that is rich in
antioxidants is amazing for hair
and skin.
• Since this tea is also rich in many
vitamins and minerals it proves
to be even more effective for
preventing premature ageing of
skin and hair .
 ANTI-CANCER AND ANTI-
TUMOR PROPERTIES
• Clitoria Ternatea's cyclotides
can kill cancer inducing cells by
disrupting cell membrane
integrity.
• .
 ANTI-MICROBIAL PROPERTIES

• Butterfly pea exhibited significant anti-

microbial effects against
Staphylococcus Aureus, which can
cause a range of illnesses from minor
skin infections like pimples and scalded
skin syndrome to life-threatening
diseases such as pneumonia,
meningitis and even toxic shock
syndrome .
 ANTI - INFLAMMATORY
PROPERTIES
• The deep indigo flowers of butterfly
pea contain flavonoids. Found in
almost all fruits and vegetables,
flavonoids are powerful
antioxidants with anti-
inflammatory properties as well as
immune system-boosting benefits
 IMPROVES EYESIGHT
 
• Clitoria Ternatea contains an
antioxidant called
proanthocyanidin, which increases
blood flow to the capillaries of the
eyes, useful in the treatment of
glaucoma, blurred vision, retinal
damage or tired eyes.
 ANTI- HIV 

• Butterfly Pea is one of

the few herbs to contain
cyclotides, which have
exhibited anti-HIV
effects in studies.
 ANTI- ASTHMATIC 

• It is used in common cold,

cough, & asthma as it acts
as an expectorant and
reduces the irritation of
respiratory organs
A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR THE
FOOD INDUSTRY
FDA APPROVES SENSIENT’S
‘EXCEPTIONALLY HEAT-STABLE’
NATURAL BLUE FOOD COLOR
FROM BUTTERFLY PEA
FLOWER
 FDA APPROVES SENSIENT’S ‘EXCEPTIONALLY
HEAT-STABLE’ NATURAL BLUE FOOD COLOR FROM
BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER
• The exceptionally heat stable color
can be used in a wide range of
applications including alcoholic
drinks, sport drinks, carbonated soft
drinks, fruit drinks, coffee creamers,
ice cream, frozen dairy desserts,
fruit preparation in yogurt, chewing
gum, coated nuts and candy
Butterfly Pea has
shown to act on
several key systems of
the body:
 Butterfly Pea has shown to act on several
  key systems of the body:

• The Nervous System – Butterfly Pea has a calming effect on the

brain.

• The Digestive System – Butterfly Pea is an antiemetic (anti-nausea),

antidypsetic (anti-indigestion), mild-laxative and cholagogue
(stimulates flow of bile from liver)

• The Circulatory System – Butterfly Pea is a haemostatic (helps stop

bleeding) and a blood purifier
 Butterfly Pea has shown to act on several
  key systems of the body:

• The Respiratory System – Butterfly Pea acts as an expectorant and

has shown to reduce the irritation of respiratory organs, useful in
treating colds, coughs and even asthma.

• The Urinary System – Butterfly Pea is a diuretic, helping promote

normal urination and can be used for dysuria (difficulty urinating).

• The Reproductive System: Butterfly Pea is reported to be

spermatogenic, aiding in normal sperm production.
 Butterfly Pea has shown to act on several
  key systems of the body:

• The Integumentary System – Pre-maturing ageing is often a problem

of the skin. Flavonoids present in Butterfly Pea have been found to
boost collagen production, increasing the skin elasticity.
 RELATED STUDIES
 

The study conducted by the article of Harada et al. (2018), the popular use of C. ternatea in traditional
medicine has stimulated researchers to elucidate the pharmacological activities of extracts obtained from
various C. ternatea tissues. Numerous animal studies have reported that the extracts exhibit diuretic,
nootropic, antiasthmatic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antidiabetic, antilipidemic, anti-
arthritic, antioxidant, and wound healing properties. Although these combined studies claim that C.
ternatea extracts showcase a diverse range of pharmacological properties, many of these studies are
preliminary and require more thorough investigation. In many instances the authors have attributed the
extract activities to the presence of flavonols, antiemetic, anti-dypsetic, spermatogenic, anti-haemostatic,
and anthocyanins, however, attempts to isolate and test individual components are limited. Indeed several
components in C. ternatea extracts could be acting synergistically. For instance, cyclotides which have been
reported to have immunosuppressive properties may contribute.
 RELATED STUDIES
 
The study conducted by the article of Craik et al., (2019). Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea), a Cyclotide-Bearing Plant
With Applications in Agriculture and Medicine. It was attempted to provide a comprehensive and multidisciplinary
account of the diverse properties and applications of C. ternatea and its constituent molecules. The plant is readily
grown in a range of habitats and there is wide opportunity for it to be used for rotational cropping to aid in soil
nitrogen regeneration, as a fodder crop for cattle, or as source of novel phytochemicals. There are already a host of
cosmetic and food colorants on the market and the first C. ternatea based insecticide (Sero-X®) is also approved and
being used for insect control on cotton and macadamia nut crops. The butelase-1 enzyme derived from C. ternatea
pods is also creating a lot of interest as a biotechnological tool for peptide ligation and cyclization. It was anticipated
that the success of products (including enzymes, extracts, and purified phytochemicals) deriving from C. ternatea
will encourage more research on this plant and stimulate further discoveries that might lead to second and third
generation products.