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Ethnopharmacological relevance Areca catechu L. (Arecaceae), widely distributed in South and Southeast Asia, is a popular traditional herbal medicine that can be chewed for the purpose of dispersing accumulated fluid in the abdominal cavity and killing worms. The present paper aims to provide an up-to-date review on the traditional uses and advances in the botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of this plant. Furthermore, the possible trends and a perspective for future research of this plant are also discussed. Materials and methods A literature search was performed on A. catechu based on classic books of herbal medicine, PhD. and MSc. dissertations, government reports, the state and local drug standards, scientific databases including Pubmed, SciFinder, Scopus, the Web of Science, Google Scholar, and others. Various types of information regarding this plant are discussed in corresponding parts of this paper. In addition, perspectives for possible future studies of A. catechu are discussed. Results The seeds of A. catechu (areca nut) have been widely used in clinical practice in China, India and other South and Southeast Asian Countries. Currently, over 59 compounds have been isolated and identified from A. catechu , including alkaloids, tannins, flavones, triterpenes, steroids, and fatty acids. The extracts and compounds isolated from A. catechu have many pharmacological activities. These include antiparasitic effects, anti-depressive effects, anti-fatigue effects, antioxidant effects, antibacterial and antifungal effects, antihypertensive effects, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, anti-allergic effects, the promotion of digestive functions, suppression of platelet aggregation, regulatory effects on blood glucose and lipids, etc . Although arecoline is the primary active constituent of A. catechu , it is also the primary toxic compound. The main toxicities of arecoline are the promotion of oral submucosal fibrosis (OSF) and cytotoxic effects on normal human cells, which involve inducing apoptosis. Conclusion As an important herbal medicine, A. catechu has potential for the treatment of many diseases, especially parasitic diseases, digestive function disorders, and depression. Many traditional uses of A. catechu have now been validated by current investigations. However, further research should be undertaken to investigate the clinical effects, toxic constituents, target organs, and pharmacokinetics and to establish criteria for quality control for A. catechu- derived medications. In addition, it will be interesting to investigate the active macromolecular compounds and active constituents other than alkaloids in both raw and processed products of A. catechu . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Rhizoma alismatis (simplified as RA, “Zexie” in Chinese, 泽泻) is a well-known natural medicine with long history in Chinese medicine. As a traditional medicine in China, RA is an important part of many prescriptions and has been commonly used for treating a wide range of ailments related to dysuria, edema, nephropathy, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, inflammation as well as tumor in clinical applications. Based on scientific literatures, the present paper aims to provide comprehensive and up-to date information about the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and quality control of RA as well as critical analysis of the research. The review will provide a new foundation and direction for the further studies of RA. Materials and methods All available information about RA was supplied by library database and electronic search (ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Pubmed, Google Scholar, etc .). The different types of useful information were collected and arranged in corresponding part of the paper. Results Phytochemical studies showed that the main chemical composition of RA was the terpenoid including sesquiterpene, diterpene and triterpene. The crude extracts and isolated compounds from RA showed diverse pharmacological activities including diuretic, nephroprotective, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. However, high-dose or long-term use of RA can lead to water-electrolyte imbalance, bloody urine, acidosis and even hepatotoxicity or nephrotoxicity, which have been proven by several studies. Conclusions Pharmacological researches show RA possessing various bioactivities including diuresis, nephroprotective effect, anti-hyperlipidemia, etc . However, more bioactive components especially diuretic and nephroprotective compounds need to be isolated and identified, and more rigorous researches on action mechanisms are required. More experiments in vitro or in vivo and clinical studies are encouraged to clarify correlation between traditional uses and modern applications, and the toxicity need to be further and precisely explored. In addition, a standardized fingerprint for RA is indispensable and emergent. These achievements will further expand to therapeutic potential and usage of RA and provide a powerful support for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Emerging clinical usage and pharmacological effects have been achieved in using Rehmanniae Radix either singly or in combination with other herbs to treat skeletal diseases in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the recent years. This study is aimed to provide a comprehensive review about the historical TCM interpretation of the action of Rehmanniae Radix in osteoporosis, its usage in clinical trials and osteoporotic models, its main phytochemical constituents, and its pharmacokinetics. Materials and methods Several databases included PubMed, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, National Science and Technology Library and the Web of Science Database were consulted to locate the publications pertaining to Rehmanniae Radix . The initial inquiry was conducted for the presence of the following terms combinations in the abstracts: Rehmanniae Radix , Dihuang, phytochemistry, pharmacokinetics, osteoporosis, bone, osteoclast and osteoblast. About 330 research papers and reviews were consulted. Results In TCM, Rehmanniae Radix exerts the anti-osteoporotic effect via regulating the functions of kidney and liver as well as improving blood circulation. 107 clinical trials are identified that used Rehmanniae Radix in combination with other herbs to treat post-menopausal, senile and secondary osteoporosis. Most of the clinical trials are characterized by high efficacy and no obvious adverse effects. However, the efficacies of these clinical trials are limited because of small patient sample size, short treatment duration and poor clinical design. In addition, TCM herbs under the clinical study are not clear because of a lack of standardization and authentication. The pharmacokinetics data demonstrate that the ingredients of Rehmanniae Radix are widely distributed after administration, and that catalpol and ajugol as well as acetoside are supposed to be the active constituents. More than 140 individual compounds have been currently isolated from this plant and reported to show pleiotropic effects on various diseases. Rehmanniae Radix displays bone protecting features in the osteoporosis models via the delicate balance between osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis through single herb extracts and its isolated compounds. Conclusions The successful inclusion of Rehmanniae Radix in clinical trials and preclinical studies for the management of osteoporosis has attracted rising attentions for identifying potential anti-osteoporotic candidates from this plant and clinical existing TCM formulas, which will further speed up anti-osteoporosis drug discovery processes. Properly designed and well controlled prospective studies are still needed to further demonstrate bone protective actions and safe use of this herb and its ingredients [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Buruli ulcer (BU) is the third most common mycobacterial infection in the world, after tuberculosis and leprosy and has recently been recognized as an important emerging disease. This disease is common in West Africa where more than 99% of the burden is felt and where most affected people live in remote areas with traditional medicine as primary or only option. Reports indicate that the ethnopharmacological control approach of the disease in such settings has shown promise. However, no or very few compilations of traditional knowledge in using medicinal plants to treat BU have been attempted so far. This review aimed to record medicinal plants used traditionally against BU in three countries in West Africa: Ivory Coast, Ghana and Benin and for which ethnopharmacological knowledge supported by pharmacological investigations has been reported. The information recorded in this review will support further pharmacological research to develop appropriate drugs for a better BU control. Material and methods A systematic review of the literature on ethnobotanical use and anti-BU activity of plants reported for BU treatment was performed. The approach consisted to search several resources, including Technical Reports, Books, Theses, Conference proceedings, web-based scientific databases such as publications on PubMed, Science direct, Springer, ACS, Scielo, PROTA , Google and Google scholar reporting ethnobotanical surveys and screening of natural products against Mycobacterium ulcerans . This study was limited to papers and documents published either in English or French reporting ethnopharmacological knowledge in BU treatment or pharmacological potency in vitro . This review covered the available literature up to December 2014. Results The majority of reports originated from the three most affected West African countries (Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Benin). Though, 98 plant species belonging to 48 families have been identified as having anti-BU use, many have received no or little attention. Most of the pharmacological studies were performed only on 54 species. To a lesser extent, ethnopharmacological knowledge was validated in vitro for only 13 species. Of those, seven species including Ricinus comminus, Cyperus cyperoides (cited as Mariscus alternifolius ) , Nicotiana tabacum, Mangifera indica, Solanum rugosum, Carica papaya, and Moringa oleifera demonstrated efficacy in hospitalised BU patients. Four isolated and characterized compounds were reported to have moderate bioactivity in vitro against M. ulcerans . Conclusions This review compiles for the first time ethnopharmacologically useful plants against BU. The phamacological potential of 13 of them has been demonstrated in vitro and support BU evidence-based traditional medicines. In addition, 7 species showed activity in BU patients and have emerged as a promising source of the traditional medicine for treatment of BU. Yet, further safety and efficacy study should be initiated prior any approval as alternative therapy. Overall, a huge gap in knowledge appeared, suggesting further well-planned and detailed investigations of the in vitro, in vivo, and safety properties of the claimed anti-BU plants. Therefore, plants with medicinal potential should be scrutinized for biologically active compounds, using bioassay-guided fractionation approach to provide new insights to find novel therapeutics for BU control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Seven species from the genus Dictamnus are distributed throughout Europe and North Asia and only two species grow in China. One is Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz., which could be found in many areas of China and has been recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia . The other is Dictamnus angustifolius G. Don ex Sweet, which is only present in Xinjiang province and has been used as an alternative for Dictamnus dasycarpus in the local for the treatment of rheumatism, bleeding, itching, jaundice, chronic hepatitis and skin diseases. The present paper reviewed the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of the genus Dictamnus . Materials and methods Information on the Dictamnus species was collected from classic books about Chinese herbal medicine and globally accepted scientific databases including PubMed, Elsevier, ASC, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, CNKI and others. Results About 170 chemical compounds, which include quinoline alkaloids, limonoids, sesquiterpenes, coumarins, flavonoids and steroids, have been isolated from the genus Dictamnus . The characteristic and active constituents of Dictamnus species are considered to be quinoline alkaloids and limonoids, which exhibited a broad spectrum of biological activities such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-microbe, anti-platelet-aggregation, vascular-relaxation, anti-insect, anti-HIV, anti-allergy and neuroprotection. Moreover, quinoline alkaloids and limonoids could be used as quality control markers to distinguish different species from the genus Dictamnus . However, there were also some reports on the toxic hepatitis and phototoxic effect of Dictamnus species, and the related research needs to be further studied. Conclusion In this review, we summarized the chemical constituents, pharmacology, quality control and toxicology of the species from genus Dictamnus . Phytochemical investigations indicated that quinoline alkaloids and limonoids were the major bioactive components with potential cytotoxic, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-platelet-aggregation and vascular relaxing activities. These two kinds of compounds have attracted great interests in the past few years and may have great potential to be new drug lead compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance The processed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux (Ranunculaceae), an extensively used traditional Chinese medicine, is known as Fuzi in China (Chinese: 附子), “bushi” in Japan, “Kyeong-Po Buja” in Korea, Chinese aconite, monkshood or Chinese wolfsbane. It has been used to treat shock resulting from acute myocardial infarction, low blood pressure, coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, etc. Aim of the review The present paper aims to provide an up-to-date review at the advancements of the investigations on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological effect and toxicity of Fuzi. Besides, the possible tendency and perspective for future research of this plant are discussed, as well. Materials and methods All available information on Fuzi was collected via electronic search (using Elsevier, PubMed, ACS, CNKI, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, and Web of Science), books and classic works about Chinese herb. Results 122 chemical constituents, among which C 19 -diterpenoid alkaloids and C 20 -diterpenoid alkaloids are the predominant groups, have been isolated and identified from Fuzi. Fuzi with its active compounds is possessed of wide-reaching biological activities, including effects on cardiovascular system, anti-inflammation and analgesic action, anti-tumor activity, effect on the immune system, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, anti-aging effect, effect of protecting kidney and effect on energy metabolism. Conclusions Nearly all of compounds were found from the roots of the plant, so further phytochemical studies should focus more on the other parts of the plant, such as the leaves, flowers or stems. Besides, a majority of the pharmacological studies were carried out using crude and poorly characterized extracts. Thus, more bioactive components particularly cardiotonic and analgesic compounds should be identified through bioactivity-guided isolation strategies. Moreover, investigations on how to develop Fuzi׳s new clinical usage on the basis of its pharmacological effects are in requirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herba Patriniae has been used for thousands of years in China as a traditional Chinese medicine with heat-clearing and detoxicating effects. It is applied widly for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, diarrhea, acute hepatitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and ulcerative colitis in clinic. Two species, namely Patrinia scabiosaefolia Fisch. (PS) and Patrinia villosa Juss. (PV) from the Caprifoliaceae family, are considered as Herba Patriniae in the pharmaceutical industry. This paper aims to comprehensively outline the traditional uses, botanical description, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, quality control, pharmacokinetics and patents of Herba Patriniae, and elaborate the same/different characteristics between PS and PV. Detailed information of Herba Patriniae was collected from various online databases (Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Schola, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, National Intellectual Property Administration, PRC National Medical Products Administration), and those published resources (M.Sc. Thesis and books). A total of 233 compounds have been identified in Herba Patriniae, including triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, organic acids, iridoids, and volatiles. A very distinct difference was observed, that PS is rich in triterpenoid saponins and volatiles, while PV contains more flavonoids. Two source species of Herba Patriniae gave similar pharmacological effects on anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, sedative and hypnotic effects. But there were no reports were on antipruritic, proangiogenic and anti-diarrheal effects for PS , and no studies on anti-diabetic effects for PV. Generally, Herba Patriniae showed non-toxic in the clinical dose, but mild side effects, such as temporary leukopenia, dizziness and nausea, could be found when large and excessive dosage is used. A variety of compounds have been quantified for the quality control of PS and PV. The variety, growth environment, growth time, and harvest time not only affected the contents but also the pharmacological activities of the bioactive compounds. In the past year, patents for compositions containing PV and PS have been filed, mainly involving human health, hygiene, agriculture, and animal husbandry. Unfortunately, the research on pharmacokinetics is insufficient. Only the prototype components and metabolites were repored after intragastric administration of total flavonoids extract from PV in rats. Herba Patriniae has displayed a significant medicinal value in clinic, but the differences in phytochemistry, pharmacological effects and the content of compounds have been found between two official recorded species. About side effects and pharmacokinetic characteristics, the differences between two species have not been well studied. For a better clinical use of Herba Patriniae, it is urgent to establish systematic pharmacology, quality control, pharmacokinetics, and clinical researches on the same/different characteristics between PS and PV. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]