Objective: Plants of genus Bauhinia are famous for their rich flavonoid content. Several phytochemical and biological investigations affirmed the role of flavonoids in the different biological impacts exerted by Bauhinia plants. The present study aims to investigate the major phytoconstituents of the leaves of B. vahlii Wight and Arnott.Methods: Powdered leaves were extracted with n-hexane (HE) and the defatted marc was extracted with 70% ethanol. The defatted ethanolic extract (DEE) was further partitioned with solvents of increasing polarities. The HE and polar fractions of DEE were purified using different chromatographic techniques and isolated compounds were identified through their melting points, 1D and 2D NMR, UV and MS spectral data.Results: A total of nine compounds were isolated and identified. Taraxerol (1), a pentacyclic triterpene, and β-sitosterol (2) were isolated from HE. Investigation of polar fractions of DEE yielded six flavonoids and a phenolic acid, namely luteolin (3), quercetin (4), gallic acid (5), avicularin (6), quercitrin (7), hyperoside (8) and quercetin-3-O-β-sophoroside (9).Conclusion: Flavonols of the quercetin nucleus were the major detected constituents in B. vahlii leaves. Taraxerol, avicularin and quercetin-3-O-β-sophoroside are isolated for the first time from the genus Bauhinia. Results of this study encourage future pharmacological investigation of B. vahlii due to the presence of biologically active flavonoids and phytosterols.Keywords: Bauhinia vahlii Wight, Arnott., Polar extractives, Flavonols, Quercetin, TaraxerolÂ
