BELAMCANDA CHINENSIS (L.) DC: ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGY OF AN IMPORTANT TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

Abstract

Background: Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC (Iridaceae), a widely used traditional Chinese medicine known as She Gan (Chinese: 射干), is a
 flowering perennial herb native to East Asia. For thousands of years in China, the rhizome of Belamcanda chinensis has been used to treat
 inflammation, oxyhepatitis, mumps, acute mastitis, and asthma, as well as throat disorders such as cough, tonsillitis and pharyngitis. Belamcanda
 chinensis is now listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China. The present paper reviews the advancements in the investigation
 of botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of Belamcanda chinensis.
 Materials and Methods: Information on Belamcanda chinensis was collected from scientific journals, books, theses and reports via library and
 electronic search (PubMed, CNKI, Elsevier, ACS, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar,Web of Science and Science Direct).
 Results: A number of chemical compounds have been isolated from Belamcanda chinensis, and the major isolated compounds have been
 identified as isoflavonoids, flavonoids and iridal-type triterpenoids. Among these active compounds, the effects of tectoridin and tectorigenin
 have been widely investigated. The primary active components in Belamcanda chinensis possess a wide range of pharmacological activities,
 including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-tumour, anti-alcohol injury, cardiovascular and oestrogenic activities.
 Conclusions: As an important traditional Chinese medicine, Belamcanda chinensis has been demonstrated to have marked bioactivity, especially
 in the respiratory system and as an oestrogenic and hepatoprotective agent. This activity is related to its traditional use and provides
 opportunities for the development of novel drugs and therapeutic products for various diseases. However, the toxicity of Belamcanda chinensis
 will require further study, and more attention should be devoted to its better utilization.