Аннотация:Bauhinia forficata is a legume native from Atlantic Forest named as cowage.It occurs in almost all types of soils, its wood is used in the production of pulp and paper, wood and carpentry and its leaves employed as animal feed.It is also used in plant cover, as an ornamental plant, but, more importantly, as a medicinal plant.Among the most important biologically active ingredients include are flavonoid compounds that appear to be largely responsible for its pharmacological properties.However, terpenes, steroids, aromatic acids, quinones, lactones, alkaloids, lectins and protease inhibitors have also been isolated and purified from various organs of several species of the genus Bauhinia.These new compounds have been characterized and their pharmacological properties are the purpose of intense investigation.The leaves, seeds and stem from Bauhinia species have been used in folk medicine for the treatment of different kinds of diseases and conditions, especially diabetes, infection, pain and inflammatory processes.
