Phytoecdysteroids effects on mammalians, isolation and analysis.

Ecdysteroids are known insect moulting hormones, regulating the insects' metamorphosis. At the same time, ecdysteroids reveal beneficial effects on humans and animals alike. Medicinal plants have been subjected to an intensive research, addressing the presence of ecdysteroids. The possible utilization of medicinal plant deals with their use as raw materials for health preparations and also for the isolation of new phytoecdysteroids. Research on the plant ecdysteroids involves two basic lines. Isolation of major compounds and scout their physiological effects; and isolation of minor ecdysteroids to find new compounds. This review summarizes the recent efforts in the ecdysteroid research including their indication as health improvement preparations, chromatography of ecdysteroids and certain methods for identification of new ecdysteroids.