Review Article on Butterfly Pea Flower: Skin Health Enhancing Properties for Cosmetics Applications

The butterfly pea or Clitoria ternatea L. is a member of the Fabaceae family. The blue color of Butterfly Pea flowers. This indicates the presence of anthocyanins. It can be used to color food or other objects, depending on the use. One of such plants, the butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.), has health benefits from every portion of it. Flavonol glycosides known as ternatins and polyacylated anthocyanins are found in the flowers. These consist of anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antihyperlipidemic, anti-asthmatic, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, and antioxidant agents. It is beneficial to one's health. This is consistent with the fact that anthocyanins' chemical makeup makes them readily soluble in water. Anthocyanins, which are naturally occurring antioxidants that slow down the aging process, are found in butterfly pea blossoms. Prevents skin  aging and helps the skin. ¹. Creams are classified as semisolid emulsions that are designed for external application and can be either water in oil (w/o) or oil in water (o/w) in kind. Water in oil emulsion and oil in water are the two categories for cream. Applying it to the skin's outer or superficial layer allows it to stay at the application site for a longer amount of time. Protecting the skin from various environmental conditions is the purpose of a skin cream. climate and has a calming effect on the skin. It is applied to the outer or superficial portion of the skin. The purpose of a skin cream is to shield the skin from various environmental factors. weather and has a calming impact on the skin. A variety of creams are available, including cleaning, cold, foundation, vanishing, night, massage, hand creams, night and body creams. Our focus is primarily on creating a herbal cream that can provide moisturizer and prevents aging of the skin.^2,5,6                                     

Fig :1- Butterfly Pea Flowers

Approximately 70% of Indians reside in villages, where they mostly rely on agriculture and animal husbandry for their living. Despite having more than 343 million cattle, including poultry, India produces the least amount of milk and other livestock products worldwide (http://www.krishiworld.com). Table 1 lists the minimal nutritional need established by the nutritionists as well as the per capita availability. Despite having almost one-fourth of the world's cow population, it is clear from the data in Table 1 that India is severely lacking in a number of animal products. The situation's study shows that hunger and undernutrition, or both, are major causes of Indian livestock's low output. in addition to the animals' limited genetic potential. The numbers in Table 2 provide sufficient evidence for this reality. The availability statistics show that there is a significant discrepancy between the supply and demand for various feeds and fodders when compared to the need for green fodder crops, agricultural leftovers, and concentrates. Therefore, it is necessary to boost each hectare of grazing land's production without deteriorating the nation's natural resources. Increasing the output of cultivated pastures is one way to do this (Aganga and Tshwenyane, 2003). Selecting species that are appropriate for the local ecological circumstances and agricultural practices is necessary when introducing fodder production to a new location. Only if the goal of forage cultivation is well defined—for instance, to boost the quantity of fodder available during a certain season or to improve the ration's quality—can the right species be chosen (Bayer and von Bayer, 1998). They added that, when compared to current fodder and husbandry methods, the new forage plants must offer notable advantages in at least one of the attributes. It is crucial to recognize the complimentary functions that pastures and veld may play in feeding animals with fodder (Tainton, 2000). Poor nutrition, which is mostly obtained from natural pastures and in small amounts from agricultural leftovers, is the main reason of low livestock output (Karachi, 1997).Forage legumes can be used to supplement natural pastures, which are scarce and have little nutritional value. Livestock typically choose the butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea), a very tasty forage bean, above other legumes. In addition to producing great yields, it shows excellent regrowth within a short amount of time following cutting or grazing. It may be cultivated with silage, hay, or any tall grass for rotational grazing. Butterfly peas can also be used as a medicinal plant, green manure, and cover crop. Because of its beautiful bloom colours, it is sometimes produced as a decorative crop in addition to its fodder value. Given the crop's significance, this research seeks to emphasize its botanical aspects, feed value, genetic diversity, medicinal significance, decorative value, and tissue culture enhancement.

Fig:2- Butterfly Pea Flower Seeds

Genetic improvement:

The existence of differences among plant population members is referred to as variability. Either variations in the genetic makeup of a population's members or variations in the conditions under which they are raised cause variability. Resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses and broad adaptability depend on variability. When there is genetic variation among a population's members, selection is also successful. Therefore, understanding the level of genetic diversity in a population is crucial for plant breeders to begin a prudent breeding program (Singh and Narayanan 2000). The C. purpurea x C. ternatea population has a high phenotypic (PCV) and genotypic (GCV) coefficient of variability for the following traits: seed weight, crude protein, crude fibre, and leaf width. There is much room for selection, and these genotypes can supply materials for a solid breeding program for improving fodder. These factors include the number of leaves per plant, the total number of pods per plant, the length of the leaves, and the height of the plant (Kalamani and Michael Gomez, 2001).Two crucial selection criteria are genetic advancement and heritability. In general, estimations of heredity combined with genetic advancement are more useful than heritability alone in forecasting the gain under selection (Johnson et al., 1955). The majority of additive gene action is shown by heritability (H2) and genetic advance (GA) estimates of economic (or yield) contributing variables (Kalamani and Michael Gomez, 2001).

In Vitro Propagation:

Crop development programs use plant tissue culture, one of the several biotechnology approaches, for in vitro propagation (Prakash et al., 1994). More people are becoming aware of the potential uses and constraints of plant cell and tissue culture technologies in creating new genotypes with desirable traits. Shoot regrowth and callus production were seen in C. ternatea leaf explants (Malabadi and Nataraja, 2001). According to Kalamani and Michael Gomez (2002), juvenile shoot tip explants of C. ternatea produced a great number of multiple shoot buds when MS medium + auxins (NAA (or) IAA) + BAP (0.5 mg-1). To enhance the number of numerous shoots, the media designed for Clitoria spp. micropropagation appears to be more beneficial. In vitro mutagenesis and the production of hybrid seedlings from challenging crossings may benefit from the formation of numerous plantlets from shoot tip culture. For the purpose of producing plants in large quantities as well as storing and maintaining germplasm, many plantlets can be regenerated from shoot tip explants on basic media.

Medicinal Value:

The butterfly pea, sometimes referred to as Shankhpushpi, is a popular brain tonic in traditional Indian medical systems that is thought to enhance memory and intellect. Root extracts from C. ternatea have been shown to raise acetylcholine levels and acetylcholine esterase activity in rat brains in a manner comparable to that of the common Cerebro pharmaceutical pyritinol (Taranalli and cheeramkuzhy, 2003). According to Malabodi and Nataraja (2001), the herb is regarded as an excellent brain tonic and has antidotal qualities, helps with eyes and throat infections, skin conditions, urinary problems, even in cattle, and ulcers. Butterfly pea is an excellent source of phytochemicals in addition to its therapeutic properties. It has been demonstrated that its antifungal proteins are homologous to plant defensins. ct-AMP [ThevissenetaI.,2000

Fig:3- Process of Drying and Extraction Process

Among the several species of Clitoria, C. ternatea and C. purpurea are known for their beautiful blooms. C. ternatea has single, incredibly beautiful, creamy white blooms, whereas C. purpurea has dark blue papilionaceous flowers. They are regarded by garden enthusiasts as a significant decorative crop due to the beauty of their blossoms. According to Kalamani and Michael Gomez (2003), the hybrids between C. purpurea and C. ternatea produced blooms that were larger than their parents and had an intermediate colour (light blue). Different flower colors, including light pink, cream flowers with blue borders, medium blue, dark blue with velvety look, violet, and dark violet, were seen in the segregating progenies (F2) of the aforementioned crosses in addition to the parental colors (Kalamani and Michael Gomez, 2003). For decorative purposes, medium-height segregants with lovely flowers—like deep violet, light pink, and velvety blue—and fewer leaves can be used.

Fig: Butterfly Pea Plant Seeds

1)  Selection Of Raw Materials:

 The materials for a formulation were selected on the basis study of different review articles

 2)  Collection Of Raw Materials: 

Neem Azadirachta indica leaves and Aloevera [Aloe barbadensis Miller] were collected from local area from Suraram and Butterfly pea flowers were collected from local area from Suraram

3)Excipients And Herbal Ingredients with Their Role:

Hot water extraction: Using a commercial blender set to low speed for 40 seconds, fresh blue pea flower petals were mixed with water in a certain substrate solvent ratio [1:15 or 1:20 (w/v)]. The mixed mixture was then shaken for 30 or 60  minutes while being kept in a thermostatic water bath that was set at a particular temperature (40, 50, or 60°C). After that, the mixture was filtered and dried for 36 to 48 hours at 40°C. Then, the extracts that had been vacuum-dried were called anthocyanin extracts. Subsequent ultrasonic, microwave, and pectinase-assisted extractions were conducted under ideal treatment conditions chosen from hot water extraction.⁷

Sulfuric acid test:

1mL of concentrated H₂SO₄ was added To 2mL extract. The interface's orange hue would suggest the presence of anthocyanin.

Confirmatory Tests for Anthocyanin: 

Using normal procedures, the anthocyanin confirmatory tests were conducted.

Extraction of Aloe vera gel:

After being gathered, fresh, mature, and healthy aloe vera leaves were cleaned with distilled water. A sterile knife was then used to cut the leaf's outer portion longitudinally after it had properly dried in a hot air oven. Then, using a sterile knife, the colorless parenchymatous tissue, or aloe vera gel, was cut away.

Extraction of neem leaves:

Neem leaves were gathered, cleaned with purified water, and then dried in a hot air oven. After proper drying, leaves were powdered. Next, a volumetric flask containing 5g of powdered neem leaves and 50ml of dimethyl sulfoxide was shaken for three days using a REMI RSB-12 mechanical shaker. Then the solution was heated on a water bath at 80-100 ? and concentrated up to 20ml and Then it is filtered using muslin cloth to remove the fibers and impurities. Then the filtrate or the filter product which is a solution. or transparent Neem leaf extract was utilized in the process.

5. Formulation Of Creams:

The composition of the cream: In a borosilicate glass beaker, heat the liquid paraffin and beeswax to 75°C and keep it there. (Phase of oil). In a another beaker, dissolve the borax and methylparaben in distilled water and boil them. Borax and methylparaben are dissolved in this beaker at 75°C to produce a transparent solution. (phase of water). Next, gradually incorporate this watery phase into the heated oily phase ⁸. A determined quantity of aloe vera gel, neem extract, and Tulsi extract are then added, and everything is rapidly stirred until a smooth cream forms. Then, for aroma, add a few drops of rose oil. Apply this cream on the slab, mix it geometrically, and add a few drops of distilled water if needed to give it a smooth texture.