Post Series: Medicinal Flowers
When we think of medicinal plants, it’s often the roots, leaves, or bark that come to mind—yet around the world, flowers have long been used for their healing properties. This series explores some of the most powerful and time-honored blooms used in traditional and modern herbal medicine… as diverse as they are beautiful.
Bougainvillea, commonly grown as an ornamental vine or shrub, includes several species such as Bougainvillea glabra and Bougainvillea spectabilis, characterized by woody, thorny stems and showy papery bracts that surround small white tubular flowers. These colorful bracts, often mistaken for true petals, along with leaves and sometimes bark, are used medicinally for respiratory, gastrointestinal, metabolic, inflammatory, and infectious conditions in various traditional systems.
➡️ Preparations typically involve infusions or decoctions of bracts and leaves taken orally for cough, asthma, bronchitis, colds, diarrhea, and dysentery, or used for diabetes and liver ailments, while topical uses include wound cleansing and treatment of skin infections and inflammation. A broad phytochemical profile including phenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, betalains, and other secondary metabolites underpins these diverse bioactivities.
· Origin: Native to South America, particularly Brazil and surrounding regions, and have been widely distributed and cultivated throughout tropical and subtropical areas worldwide.
· Traditional Use: Traditionally used for respiratory complaints (cough, asthma, bronchitis), gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea, dysentery, stomach upset), metabolic issues (diabetes), liver problems, wound cleansing, and skin infections
· Sample Reference: Heitzman, J.M. et al. “Bougainvillea Genus: A Review on Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018, Article ID 9070927.
*This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.