Chen Lu, Wang Xiaoyu, Huang Baokang
School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; School of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350000, China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Mar 13;162:104-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.12.032. Epub 2015 Jan 2.
Several species from the genus Hippocampus have been widely used as a traditional medicine or invigorant with long history in China. Five species of them have been recorded in Chinese pharmacopoeia with name Hippocampus (Chinese name Haima [symbol: see text]). The ethnopharmacologial history of this genus indicated that they possess anti-tumor, anti-aging, anti-fatigue, anti-prostatic hyperplasia activities and can be used for the treatment of tumor, aging, fatigue, thrombus, inflammatory, hypertension and impotence. This review focuses on the traditional medicinal uses of Hippocampus species, as well as the phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological studies on this genus.
To provide an overview of the ethnopharmacology, chemical constituents, pharmacology and clinical applications of the genus Hippocampus, and to reveal their therapeutic potentials and being an evidence base for further research works of the Hippocampus. Information on the Hippocampus species was collected from scientific journals, books, thesis and reports based on the Chinese herbal classic literature and worldwide accepted scientific databases via a library and electronic search (PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, Google Scholar, Springer, Web of Science and CNKI).
A survey of literature revealed that the major chemical constituents of Hippocampus are sterides, essential amino acids, fatty acids and microelements. Experimental evidences confirmed that the Hippocampus could be used in treating tumor, aging, fatigue, thrombus, inflammatory, hypertension, prostatic hyperplasia and impotence. The most important function of Hippocampus in TCM is invigorating kidney-yang. The key traditional uses of Hippocampus have been investigated in vitro and in vivo, but their mechanism and clinical trial data are needed, and the sustainable exploitation of the endangered Hippocampus species should be considered. This literature analysis of traditional medicinal uses and experimental chemical and pharmacological data of Hippocampus provide a scientific basis for future research.
Hippocampus is a promising traditional medicine and holds great potential for being exploited as healthy products and drugs. Aquaculture and substitutes of Hippocampus are valid approaches to protect Hippocampus form being endangered species.
海马属的几种物种在中国作为传统药物或滋补品有着悠久的使用历史。其中五种已被载入《中国药典》，名为海马（中文名：海马 [符号：见正文]）。该属的民族药理学历史表明它们具有抗肿瘤、抗衰老、抗疲劳、抗前列腺增生活性，可用于治疗肿瘤、衰老、疲劳、血栓、炎症、高血压和阳痿。本综述重点关注海马属物种的传统药用用途，以及对该属的植物化学、药理学和毒理学研究。
为了概述海马属的民族药理学、化学成分、药理学和临床应用，并揭示它们的治疗潜力，为海马属的进一步研究工作提供证据基础。基于中草药经典文献和全球公认的科学数据库，通过图书馆和电子检索（PubMed、Elsevier、Scopus、谷歌学术、Springer、科学网和中国知网），从科学期刊、书籍、论文和报告中收集有关海马属物种的信息。
文献调查显示，海马的主要化学成分是甾体、必需氨基酸、脂肪酸和微量元素。实验证据证实，海马可用于治疗肿瘤、衰老、疲劳、血栓、炎症、高血压、前列腺增生和阳痿。海马在中医中最重要的功能是补肾阳。海马的关键传统用途已在体外和体内进行了研究，但仍需要其作用机制和临床试验数据，同时应考虑对濒危海马物种的可持续开发。对海马传统药用用途以及实验化学和药理学数据的文献分析为未来研究提供了科学依据。
海马是一种有前景的传统药物，在开发健康产品和药物方面具有巨大潜力。海马的水产养殖和替代品是保护海马不成为濒危物种的有效途径。
