J Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Mar 24. pii: S0378-8741(17)31115-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.03.035. [Epub ahead of print]
- 1
- Hong-Hui
Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an 710054,
PR China; Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in
Western China (Northwest University), Ministry of Education, Xi'an
710069, PR China.
- 2
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology
and Biotechnology in Western China (Northwest University), Ministry of
Education, Xi'an 710069, PR China.
- 3
- Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an 710054, PR China.
- 4
- Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an 710054, PR China. Electronic address: hxrhist@163.com.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
Achyranthes
L. (Amaranthaceae), also known as Chaff Flower and Niuxi/, mainly
includes two famous medicinal species namely A. bidentata and A. aspera.
A. bidentata has been widely used as blood-activating and
stasis-resolving medicine for the treatment of various diseases
including amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, lumbago, gonalgia, paraplegia,
edema, stranguria, headache, dizziness, odontalgia, oral ulcer,
hematemesis, and epistaxis. A. aspera has been widely used to treat
various diseases, including gynecological disorder, asthma, ophthalmia,
odontalgia, haemorrhoids, and abdominal tumor, and has been applied to
difficult labour, wound healing, insect and snake bites.
AIM OF THIS REVIEW:
This review
aims to provide systematically reorganized information on
distributions, botanical characteristics, ethnopharmacology, chemical
constituents, qualitative and quantitative analysis, pharmacological activities, and toxicity of Achyranthes species to support their therapeutic potential.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The relevant information on Achyranthes
species was gathered from worldwide accepted scientific databases via
electronic search (Google Scholar, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, ACS
Publications, PubMed, Wiley Online Library, SciFinder, CNKI).
Information was also obtained from International Plant Names Index,
Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Chinese herbal classic books, PhD and MSc
dissertations, etc.
RESULTS:
A comprehensive analysis of literatures obtained through the above- mentioned sources confirms that the ethnomedicinal uses of Achyranthes
species are mainly recorded in China, India, Korea, Pakistan, Ethiopia,
Kenya, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines, etc. Phytochemical
investigations revealed that the major bioactive substances of Achyranthes plants are polysaccharides, polypeptides, triterpenoid saponins, and ketosteroids. Achyranthes
plants have been shown to not only act on immune system, nervous
system, bone metabolism, and reproduction, but also possess a wide range
of biological activities,
including blood-activating, anti-tumor, anti-inflammation,
anti-arthritis, anti-oxidation, anti-aging, wound healing, etc. Toxicity
studies indicated that A. bidentata and A. aspera seem non-toxic at the
common therapeutic doses.
CONCLUSIONS:
A.
bidentata and A. aspera are very promising to be fully utilized in the
development of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products. There are,
however, needs for further in-depth studies to confirm some
ethnomedicinal uses of Achyranthes
plants and to elucidate the scientific connotation of the widely
documented property of conducting drug downward of A. bidentata. In
addition, other widespread Achyranthes
species like A. japonica and A. rubrofusca ought to be studied.
Likewise, systematic comparative studies of the chemical constituents of
medicinal Achyranthes
plants resources with the same local name are also needed. Furthermore,
not only should the investigations on the structure-activity
relationship of the main bioactive compounds triterpenoid saponins and
ketosteroids be carried out, but the pathways of absorption,
distribution, metabolism, and excretion ought to be clarified. Last but
not least, there is also a need to evaluate the long-term chronic
toxicity and acute toxicity in vivo of the main bioactive compounds.
Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.
KEYWORDS:
Achyranthes aspera; Achyranthes bidentata; Ketosteroids; Polypeptides; Polysaccharides; Triterpenoid saponins