Queen’s crape myrthle/Banaba

Lagerstroemia speciosa (Banaba) leaves have been traditionally used for treating diabetes and kidney diseases. Scientific evidences support its anti-diabetic property since it contains triterpene acids (oleanolic acid, arjunolic acid, asiatic acid, maslinic acid, corosolic acid, and 23-hydroxyursolic acid) that have α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activity. Among these, corosolic acid was observed to have the best α-glucosidase inhibition. Corosolic acid was also found to exhibit antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral, antineoplastic and osteoblastic activities. Lagerstroemin, an ellagitannin, and Penta-O-galloyl-glucopyranose, a potent gallotannin, are two compounds also isolated from banaba leaf extracts wherein both have insulin-like glucose transport stimulatory activity and exhibit anti-adipogenic properties. Additionally, other compounds such as valoneic acid dilactone and ellagic acid from banaba leaves possess xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity making it useful for hyperuricemia or gout.