Bignonia magnifica: a comprehensive exploration of its morphology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and therapeutic potential

Bignonia magnifica is a flowering ornamental plant belonging to the Bignoniaceae family with around 110 genera and 650 species. This species is commonly known as Glow vine, purple funnel vine, and purple bignonia. This climber plant is native to Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela (South America). This species is grown in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The flowers of this plant are well known for their blooms and potential medicinal properties. This review article offers a comprehensive explanation of B. magnifica, including its botanical characteristics, phytochemical composition, pharmacological properties, and therapeutic potential. Relevant data were obtained through systematic electronic literature searches from various scientific databases, including Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, Pubmed, and botanical books of herbal medicines. The phytochemical constituents isolated from this plant, such as ellagic acid, aucubin compounds, flavanols, proanthocyanidins, iridoids, triterpenoids or steroids, syringyl radicals, and polyphenolase activity, were the most prevalent among the B. magnifica. Its pharmacological activity was not yet to be described previously; as a result, plants from the genus Bignonia L. were chosen due to their comparable morphological traits and biochemical activity. The extracts and bioactive compounds from the Bignonia species have been evaluated for their potencies in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, anticancerous, insecticidal, immunomodulatory, and toxicological studies. Bignonia species have been traditionally used to treat snake bite, skin disorders, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory tract disorders, hepatic disorders, epilepsy, cholera, pain, urinary problems, malaria, heart problems, and sexually transmitted diseases. Furthermore, molecular studies have elucidated its plastome structure, gene content, and evolutionary relationships, providing insights into its genetic diversity and adaptive traits. Based on the present review, B. magnifica can be further explored for its phytochemical constituents, pharmacological properties, and mechanism of action for developing new drugs.