BIXAORELLANA: PHYTOCHEMISTRY, EXTRACTION TECHNIQUES AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES - A REVIEW

*Amit Gupta, *Arshad Khan, **Abhay Gupta, **Jaya Gupta

Bixa orellana L. (family Bixaceae), commonly known as annatto or achiote, is a widely distributed medicinal plant native to the Americas and cultivated across tropical regions including India, Mexico, Brazil, and East Africa. This review comprehensively examines the phytochemical composition, extraction methodologies, and pharmacological activities of B. orellana. The plant is renowned for its carotenoid pigments—bixin (fat-soluble) and norbixin (water-soluble)—which constitute the commercially valuable annatto dye, accounting for approximately 70% of natural dyes consumed globally. Beyond its industrial applications, B. orellana possesses a rich phytochemical profile comprising terpenoids (including geranylgeraniol), flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, sterols, and essential oils distributed across various plant parts (seeds, leaves, roots, and flowers). Extraction techniques range from conventional solvent-based methods (using ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hexane) to advanced approaches such as supercritical CO₂ extraction, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and ultrasound-assisted techniques, each yielding varying quantities of bixin and norbixin depending on solvent polarity and temperature conditions. Pharmacological investigations have demonstrated extensive therapeutic potential, including antimicrobial activity against Grampositive and Gram-negative bacteria, antifungal effects particularly against Candida species, antioxidant properties evidenced by DPPH and ABTS scavenging assays, anticancer activity against various cell lines (B16F-10 melanoma, HeLa, A549 lung cancer, MCF-7 breast cancer), antidiabetic effects through α-glucosidase and α- amylase inhibition, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticonvulsant, antileishmanial, and wound-healing activities. Recent developments include green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from plant extracts, enhancing bioactivity. Despite substantial preclinical evidence, clinical translation remains limited. This review underscores the need for standardized extraction protocols, rigorous clinical trials, and nanoparticle-based formulations to fully harness the therapeutic potential of B. orellana as a safe, natural alternative in modern medicine.