Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture Rural Affairs, College of Pharmacy and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China.
School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of TCM, Chengdu, 610072, China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2019 Sep 15;241:111934. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.111934. Epub 2019 May 23.
Plants of genus Celastrus (Celastraceae) have been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Indian medicine to treat cognitive dysfunction, epilepsy, insomnia, rheumatism, gout, and dyspepsia for thousands of years.
We critically summarized the current evidence on the botanic characterization and distribution, ethnopharmacology, secondary metabolites, pharmacological activities, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and toxicology of Celastrus species to provide perspectives for developing more attractive pharmaceuticals of plant origin.
The relevant information on Celastrus species was gathered from worldwide accepted scientific databases via electronic search (Web of Science, SciFinder, PubMed, Elsevier, SpringerLink, Wiley Online, China Knowledge Resource Integrated, and Google Scholar). Information was also obtained from the literature and books as well as PhD and MSc dissertations. Plant names were validated by "The Plant List" (www.theplantlist.org).
Comprehensive analysis of the above mentioned databases and other sources confirmed that ethnomedical uses of plants of Celastrus genus had been recorded in China, India, and other countries in Southern Asia. The phytochemical investigation revealed the presence of β-dihydroagarofuranoids, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, tetraterpenes, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans, and others. The crude extracts and isolated constituents have exhibited a wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological effects, including antitumor, cytotoxic, insecticidal, antimicrobial, anti-rheumatoid arthritis (RA), anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing and antioxidative, and neuroprotective activities.
Plants of genus Celastrus have been confirmed to show a strong potential for therapeutic and health-maintaining effects, in light of their long traditional use and the phytochemical and pharmacological studies summarized here. Currently, pharmacological studies of this genus mainly focus on Celastrus paniculatus Willd. and Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. Therefore, more pharmacological investigations should be implemented to support traditional uses of other medicinal plants of the genus Celastrus. Moreover, studies on the toxicity, bioavailability, and pharmacokinetics, in addition to clinical trials, are indispensable for assessing the safety and efficacy of the secondary metabolites or extracts obtained from plants belonging to this genus.
数千年以来，卫矛科南蛇藤属（Celastraceae）植物被广泛应用于传统中医（TCM）和印度医学，用于治疗认知功能障碍、癫痫、失眠、风湿、痛风和消化不良。
本文批判性地总结了南蛇藤属植物的植物学特征和分布、民族药理学、次生代谢物、药理学活性、定性和定量分析以及毒理学方面的现有证据，为开发更具吸引力的植物源药物提供了视角。
通过电子搜索（Web of Science、SciFinder、PubMed、Elsevier、SpringerLink、Wiley Online、中国知识资源综合数据库和 Google Scholar）从全球公认的科学数据库中收集了有关南蛇藤属植物的相关信息。还从文献和书籍以及博士和硕士论文中获取了信息。植物名称通过“植物名录”（www.theplantlist.org）进行了验证。
对上述数据库和其他来源的综合分析证实，南蛇藤属植物的植物医学用途在中国、印度和南亚其他国家均有记录。植物化学研究表明，存在β-二氢agarofuranoids、二萜、三萜、四萜、苯丙素、生物碱、类黄酮、木脂素等。粗提取物和分离的成分表现出广泛的体外和体内药理学作用，包括抗肿瘤、细胞毒性、杀虫、抗菌、抗类风湿关节炎（RA）、抗炎、抗衰老和抗氧化以及神经保护作用。
鉴于南蛇藤属植物的长期传统用途以及本文总结的植物化学和药理学研究，该属植物已被证实具有很强的治疗和保健效果潜力。目前，该属的药理学研究主要集中在南蛇藤（Celastrus paniculatus Willd.）和南蛇藤（Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.）上。因此，应该进行更多的药理学研究来支持该属其他药用植物的传统用途。此外，除了临床试验外，还需要进行毒性、生物利用度和药代动力学研究，以评估从该属植物中获得的次生代谢物或提取物的安全性和有效性。
