Clitoria
Clitoria ternatea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Faboideae Tribe: Cicereae Genus: Clitoria
Species
Clitoria ternatea

Clitoria is a genus of flowering plants that are insect pollinated. These plants are native to tropical and temperate areas of the Old and New World including southeast Asia, where the flowers are often used as a food dye.

In animal tests the methanolic extract of Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly pea) roots demonstrated nootropic, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant and antistress activity. The active constituent(s) include Tannins, resins, Starch, Taraxerol & Taraxerone. Clitoria ternatea root extracts are capable of curing whooping cough if taken orally. The extract from the white-flowered plant can cure goiter. Its roots are used in the ayurveda system of Indian medicine.

Species

• Clitoria albiflora Mattei
• Clitoria amazonum Benth.
• Clitoria angustifolia Kunth
• Clitoria annua J. Graham
• Clitoria arborea Benth.
• Clitoria arborescens R. Br.
• Clitoria australis Benth.
• Clitoria biflora Dalziel
• Clitoria bracteata Poir.
• Clitoria brasiliana L.
• Clitoria cajanifolia (C. Presl) Benth.
• Clitoria capitata Rich.
• Clitoria dendrina Pittier
• Clitoria fairchildiana R. A. Howard
• Clitoria falcata Lam.
• Clitoria fragrans Small
• Clitoria glycinoides DC.
• Clitoria guianensis (Aubl.) Benth.
• Clitoria heterophylla Lam.
  • Clitoria heterophylla var. heterophylla
  • Clitoria heterophylla var. pedunculata (Bojer ex Benth.) Fantz
• Clitoria javitensis subsp. javitensis
• Clitoria laurifolia Poir.
• Clitoria linearis Gagnep.
• Clitoria mariana L.
• Clitoria mearnsii De Wild.
• Clitoria mexicana Link
• Clitoria nana Benth.
• Clitoria pedunculata Bojer ex Benth.
• Clitoria pinnata (Pers.) R. H. Sm. & G. P. Lewis
• Clitoria plumieri Turpin ex Pers.]]
• Clitoria polyphylla Poir.
• Clitoria racemosa G. Don
• Clitoria racemosa Benth.
• Clitoria rubiginosa Pers.
• Clitoria sagotii Fantz
• Clitoria schiedeana Schltdl.
• Clitoria stipularis Benth.
• Clitoria tanganicensis Micheli
• Clitoria ternatea L.
• Clitoria virginiana L.
• Clitoria zanzibarensis Vatke

References

• The Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia of India, Part-I, Volume-II, First edition,Ministry of Health & family welfare,Government of India.

• Neeti N. Jain, C. C. Ohal, S. K. Shroff, R. H. Bhutada, R. S. Somani, V. S. Kasture and S. B. Kasture. Clitoria ternatea and the CNS. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior Volume 75, Issue 3 , June 2003, Pages 529-536

• Rai KS, Murthy KD, Karanth KS, Rao MS. Clitoria ternatea (Linn) root extract treatment during growth spurt period enhances learning and memory in rats. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2001 Jul;45(3):305-13

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