Ethnomedicine, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Smilax glabra: An Important Traditional Chinese Medicine

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (02) ◽  
pp. 261-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiyao Hua ◽  
Yiwei Zhang ◽  
Jiayue Liu ◽  
Lin Dong ◽  
Jun Huang ◽  
...  

Smilax glabra (SG) Roxb., a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, has been extensively used worldwide for its marked pharmacological activities for treating syphilitic poisoned sores, limb hypertonicity, morbid leucorrhea, eczema pruritus, strangury due to heat, carbuncle toxin, and many other human ailments. Approximately 200 chemical compounds have been isolated from SG Roxb., and the major components have been determined to be flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides, phenolic acids, and steroids. Among these active compounds, the effects of astilbin, which is used as a quality control marker to determine the quality of SG Roxb., have been widely investigated. Based on in vivo and in vitro studies, the primary active components of SG Roxb. possess various pharmacological activities, such as cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory effects, anti-oxidant, hepatoprotective, antiviral, antibacterial, and cardiovascular system protective activities. However, an extensive study to determine the relationship between the chemical compositions and pharmacological effects of SG Roxb. has not been conducted and is worth of our study. Improving the means of utilizing the effects of SG is crucial. The present paper reviews the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of SG Roxb. and assesses its ethnopharmacological use in order to explore its therapeutic potential for future research.

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 532
Author(s):  
Hae-Soo Yun ◽  
Sylvatrie-Danne Dinzouna-Boutamba ◽  
Sanghyun Lee ◽  
Zin Moon ◽  
Dongmi Kwak ◽  
...  

In traditional Chinese medicine, Ranunculus japonicus has been used to treat various diseases, including malaria, and the young stem of R. japonicus is consumed as a food in the Republic of Korea. However, experimental evidence of the antimalarial effect of R. japonicus has not been evaluated. Therefore, the antimalarial activity of the extract of the young stem of R. japonicus was evaluated in vitro using both chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) and chloroquine-resistant (Dd2) strains; in vivo activity was evaluated in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice via oral administration followed by a four-day suppressive test focused on biochemical and hematological parameters. Exposure to extracts of R. japonicus resulted in significant inhibition of both chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) and resistant (Dd2) strains of P. falciparum, with IC50 values of 6.29 ± 2.78 and 5.36 ± 4.93 μg/mL, respectively. Administration of R. japonicus also resulted in potent antimalarial activity against P. berghei in infected mice with no associated toxicity; treatment also resulted in improved hepatic, renal, and hematologic parameters. These results demonstrate the antimalarial effects of R. japonicus both in vitro and in vivo with no apparent toxicity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (05) ◽  
pp. 1071-1098 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mao-Xing Li ◽  
Xi-Rui He ◽  
Rui Tao ◽  
Xinyuan Cao

In the present review, the literature data on the chemical constituents and biological investigations of the genus Pedicularis are summarized. Some species of Pedicularis have been widely applied in traditional Chinese medicine. A wide range of chemical components including iridoid glycosides, phenylpropanoid glycosides (PhGs), lignans glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids and other compounds have been isolated and identified from the genus Pedicularis. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated some monomer compounds and extracts from the genus Pedicularis have been found to possess antitumor, hepatoprotective, anti-oxidative, antihaemolysis, antibacterial activity, fatigue relief of skeletal muscle, nootropic effect and other activities.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 2354-2363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Baumann ◽  
Stefanie C. Fas ◽  
Marco Giaisi ◽  
Wolfgang W. Müller ◽  
Anette Merling ◽  
...  

Herbs have successfully been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. However, their curative mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, we show that Wogonin, derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Huang-Qin (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi), induces apoptosis in malignant T cells in vitro and suppresses growth of human T-cell leukemia xenografts in vivo. Importantly, Wogonin shows almost no toxicity on T lymphocytes from healthy donors. Wogonin induces prolonged activation of PLCγ1 via H2O2 signaling in malignant T cells, which leads to sustained elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ in malignant but not normal T cells. Subsequently, a Ca2+ overload leads to disruption of the mitochondrial membrane. The selective effect of Wogonin is due to its differential regulation of the redox status of malignant versus normal T cells. In addition, we show that the L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels are involved in the intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in T cells. Furthermore, we show that malignant T cells possess elevated amounts of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels compared with normal T cells, which further enhance the cytotoxicity of Wogonin for malignant T cells. Taken together, our data show a therapeutic potential of Wogonin for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.


RSC Advances ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 3408-3412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Long Ma ◽  
Haiyan Liu ◽  
Lingpei Meng ◽  
Ping Qin ◽  
Botao Zhang ◽  
...  

Triterpenoidal saponins fraction isolated from a traditional Chinese medicine Conyza blinii H. Lév. demonstrates anti-cancer activity both in vitro and in vivo.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Songwei Yang ◽  
Yantao Yang ◽  
Cong Chen ◽  
Huiqin Wang ◽  
Qidi Ai ◽  
...  

The Chinese herb couple Fuzi and Ganjiang (FG) has been a classic combination of traditional Chinese medicine that is commonly used clinically in China for nearly 2000 years. Traditional Chinese medicine suggests that FG can treat various ailments, including heart failure, fatigue, gastrointestinal upset, and depression. Neuroinflammation is one of the main pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases in which microglia cells play a critical role in the occurrence and development of neuroinflammation. FG has been clinically proven to have an efficient therapeutic effect on depression and other neurological disorders, but its mechanism remains unknown. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a serious threat to the quality of life of cancer patients and is characterized by both physical and psychological fatigue. Recent studies have found that neuroinflammation is a key inducement leading to the occurrence and development of CRF. Traditional Chinese medicine theory believes that extreme fatigue and depressive symptoms of CRF are related to Yang deficiency, and the application of Yang tonic drugs such as Fuzi and Ganjiang can relieve CRF symptoms, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In order to define whether FG can inhibit CRF depression-like behavior by suppressing neuroinflammation, we conducted a series of experimental studies in vitro and in vivo. According to the UPLC-Q-TOF/MSE results, we speculated that there were 49 compounds in the FG extraction, among which 30 compounds were derived from Fuzi and 19 compounds were derived from Ganjiang. Our research data showed that FG can effectively reduce the production of pro-inflammatory mediators IL-6, TNF-α, ROS, NO, and PGE2 and suppress the expression of iNOS and COX2, which were related to the inhibition of NF-κB/activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways. In addition, our research results revealed that FG can improve the depression-like behavior performance of CRF model mice in the tail suspension test, open field test, elevated plus maze test, and forced swimming test, which were associated with the inhibition of the expression of inflammatory mediators iNOS and COX2 in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of CRF model mice. Those research results suggested that FG has a satisfactory effect on depression-like behavior of CRF, which was related to the inhibition of neuroinflammation.


Author(s):  
Sharuti Mehta ◽  
Anil Kumar Sharma ◽  
Rajesh Kumar Singh

Background: Andrographis paniculata, commonly known as “Kalmegh”, is an annual herbaceous plant from family Acanthaceae. The whole plant of A. paniculata has explored for multiple pharmacological activities and is scientifically recognized by in-vivo and in-vitro studies. Various biotechnologically engineered techniques have been explored to enhance the bioavailability of this plant. Objective: In this review, we aim to present comprehensive recent advances in the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, specific pharmacology, safety and toxicology and bioavailability of A. paniculata and its pure compounds. Possible directions for future research are also outlined in brief, which will encourage advance investigations on this plant. Methods: Information on the recent updates of the present review is collected from different electronic scientific databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. All the composed information is classified into different sections according to the objective of the paper. Results: More than hundred research and review papers have been studied and incorporated in the present manuscript. After vast literature search of A. paniculata, we present a noteworthy report of various phytoconstituents present in plant, which are accountable for potential therapeutic properties of the plant. Forty-five of studied articles give general information about introduction, ethnobotany and traditional uses of the plant. Twenty-two papers enclosed information about the phytoconstituents present in different parts of A. paniculata and seventy-two papers briefly outlined the pharmacological activities like antioxidant, anti-dengue, anti-ulcerogenic, antifungal, some miscellaneous activities like activity against SARS-CoV-2, antidiarrhoeal. Nineteen studies highlighted the research work conducted by various researchers to increased bioavailability of A. paniculata and two studies reported the safety and toxicology of the plant. Conclusion: This review incorporated the scientifically validated research work encompassing the ethnobotanical description of the subjected plant, phytochemical profile, various pharmacological activities, and recent approaches to enhance the bioavailability of active metabolites.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofeng Zhang ◽  
Yujun Tang ◽  
Xiaoxian Guan ◽  
Xin Lu ◽  
Jiao Li ◽  
...  

Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemarie (A. tsao-ko) is a well-known dietary spice and traditional Chinese medicine. This study aimed to identify the flavonoids in A. tsao-ko and evaluate its antioxidant...


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