**7. Pharmacological properties**

The medicinal value of the plant is characterized by the phytochemical constituents and their pharmacological properties. Alkaloids possess various pharmacological properties such as antiarrhythmic, anticholinergic, analgesic, antitumor, antihypertensive, antipyretics, antimalarial, stimulant, anti-HIV, antileukemic etc., and are often utilized as recreational drugs [20, 25]. Flavonoids are the commonly found polyphenolic compounds in the human diet and these are present all over the plant. The pharmacological property of flavonoids include CNS activity, cardiotonic, lipid lowering, antiulcer, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, antimicrobial, antioxidant and hypoglycemic activity. Intake of food containing Flavonoids lowers risk of certain free radical related pathophysiology [26]. Therapeutic uses of terpenoids include antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, antiparasitic, immunomodulatory, and as skin permeation enhancer. Luo et al. (1999) have reported terpenoids can decrease the blood sugar level in animals. Steroids can possess the analgesic properties [27]. They are also used to treat a variety of inflammatory diseases and conditions. Cardiac Glycosides also show therapeutic properties and are used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia [28]. Phenols or phenolic compounds show antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, or antimutagenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Also contribute to their inducing apoptosis by arresting cell cycle, regulating carcinogen metabolism and ontogenesis expression,

**Figure 4.**

*Graphical representation of the quantitative data of phytochemical constituents.*

**Figure 5.**

*Macro elements (mineral content) in different plant parts of* U. picta.

inhibiting DNA binding and cell adhesion, migration, proliferation or differentiation, and blocking signaling pathways [29]. Saponins are being used commercially as dietary supplements and nutraceuticals in traditional medicine preparations. They also show hypocholesterolemic and antidiabetic properties [20]. As all these phytochemical constituents are present in the *U. picta,* all the pharmacological properties associated with these chemical compounds are found to be present in the plant as well. The earlier study conducted by Odubanjo et al. (2013) shows the plant possess the "Anticholinesterase property". They analyzed this property against two enzymes namely AchE (Acetylcholinesterase) and BchE (Butyrylcholinesterase). Here the aqueous extract of the plant and tested for the amount of IC50 Value. The result of the experiment showed the ample amount of dose dependent AchE and BchE inhibitory activity at the highest tested concentration [30]. Numerous studies have been done on "Antioxidant effect" of *U. picta*. Patel and Kamariya et al. (2011) studied the antioxidant behavior of aqueous extract of the plant. They analyzed the result statistically using regression method [31]. The significant antioxidant effect was calculated based on IC50 Value in presence of phenolic, flavonoid, sterol and terpene derivatives [8]. Methanol extract of *U. picta* showed the "Myocardial protection" [8] upon Rat Ischemic Reperfusion Injury Model by invigorating Muscarinic Receptors. To explore the hepatoprotective effect of *U. picta*, Hem, et al. *Benefaction of Medicinal Plant* Uraria picta *DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97731*

(2017) used PCM-induced liver injury model. The experiment showed the ability of the extract to reduce the serum liver enzymes level ALT (Alanine Transaminase) and AST (Aspartate AminoTransferase) in the blood. They also studied the "Anti-Inflammatory properties" of the plant in dose dependent manner where the aqueous decoction of roots and aerial parts showed the significant activity against egg albumin-induced and formalin induced rats paw edema. Both pre-clinical and clinical experiments suggested that the plant possesses the quick fracture healing effect due to deposition of phosphorous and calcium [22, 32].
