RECENT ADVANCES IN THE PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SPATHODEA CAMPANULATA EXTRACT: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

The African tulip tree, Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv. (Family: Bignoniaceae), is a plant of medicinal importance which has attracted a great deal of scientific interest due to the variety of its phytochemical constituents and the wide range of pharmacological activities it shows. In traditional medicine, used both in Africa and in Asia, the leaves have been employed for the treatment of inflammation, diabetes, wounds, microbial infections, fever, and gastrointestinal disorders. More recent studies into its phytochemistry, using sophisticated analytical methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, have led to the discovery of a number of bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, iridoids, triterpenoids, steroids, tannins, alkaloids, and glycosides. Experimental research has shown that the leaf extract of S. campanulata has significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, wound-healing, hepatoprotective, analgesic, and cytotoxic properties. These biological effects occur via a number of mechanisms, including the modulation of oxidative stress pathways, the inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators, the suppression of microbial growth, the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, and the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. This review critically summarizes the recent progress in the phytochemical characterization and pharmacological assessment of the S. campanulata leaf extract, highlights the analytical methods employed for identifying its bioactive components, discusses the molecular mechanisms involved, and examines the future possibilities for the development of standardized phytopharmaceutical formulations and evidence-based therapeutic uses.