Oroxylum indicum (L.) Benth ex Kurz medicinal plant: A review of its ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, therapeutic potentials and safety perspectives

Abstract

Oroxylum indicum (l.) Benth. ex Kurz is an edible medicinal plant found in the South and Southeast Asian regions. Local populations utilise various parts of the plant including its pendulous-sword-like fruits, night-blooming flowers, thin-papery seeds and compound leaves as sources of medicine and food. Among its numerous phytochemicals, flavonoids, particularly the baicalein, are the most abundantly found compound. The baicalein is recognised for its potent antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, showing promises for the treatment of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Despite these benefits and potentials, it is dangerous to assume all the natural plant-derived compounds are non-toxic and safe for consumption without proper scientific investigation focusing on their potential chronic toxicity for long term consumption. Therefore, a literature search was conducted using selected databases, namely PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus, with the keyword “Oroxylum indicum” and “baicalein” to collate relevant peer-reviewed literature for critical appraisal. The retrieved articles were critically reviewed to provide a comprehensive overview of the O. indicum, covering its ethnopharmacological uses, therapeutic potentials, scientific extraction techniques and toxicological evaluation of its major phytoconstituent – baicalein, for the benefit of future research. The insights gathered here could provide a critical information and knowledge for the regulatory agencies, consumers and manufacturers interested in food and natural products derived from O. indicum, helping to mitigate the risk associated with potential misuse and ensuring safer consumption.