Abstract
The genus Fagopyrum (Polygonaceae), currently comprising 15 species of plants, includes three important buckwheat species: Fagopyrum esculentum (F. esculentum) Moench. (common buckwheat), Fagopyrum tataricum (F. tataricum) (L.) Gaertn. (tartary buckwheat) and Fagopyrum dibotrys (F. dibotrys) (D. Don) Hara. (perennial buckwheat), which have been well explored due to their long tradition of both edible and medicinal use. This review aimed to present an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the phytochemistry and pharmacology of the three Fagopyrum buckwheats. In addition, the scope for future research was also discussed. All available references included in this paper were compiled from major databases, such as MEDLINE, Pubmed, Scholar, Elsevier, Springer, Wiley and CNKI. A total of 106 compounds isolated from three Fagopyrum buckwheats can be mainly divided into six classes: flavonoids, phenolics, fagopyritols, triterpenoids, steroids and fatty acids. Flavonoids and phenolic compounds were considered to be the major active components. Considerable pharmacological experiments both in vitro and in vivo have validated that Fagopyrum buckwheats possess antitumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic activities, etc. All reported data lead us to conclude that Fagopyrum buckwheats have convincing medicinal potential. However, further research is needed to explore its bioactive constituents, the relationship to their structural activities and the molecular mechanisms of action.
Highlights
The genus Fagopyrum, a member of family Polygonaceae, comprises 15 species that are mainly distributed in the North Temperate Zone
A total of 10 species and one variety occur in China, including three important buckwheat species: Fagopyrum esculentum (F. esculentum) Moench., Fagopyrum tataricum (F. tataricum) (L.) Gaertn., and Fagopyrum dibotrys (F. dibotrys)
In China, its rhizome was regarded as folk medicine for clearing away heat and toxic materials, removing blood stasis and expelling pus, which was generally used for the treatment of lung diseases, rheumatism, cancer, dysmenorrhea, inflammation, lumbago, snakebite and traumatic injuries, especially effective for lung cancer [25,26,27]
Summary
The genus Fagopyrum, a member of family Polygonaceae, comprises 15 species that are mainly distributed in the North Temperate Zone. Due to their long tradition of both edible and versatile medicinal use, more and more chemical and pharmacological studies have been carried out on the above-mentioned three buckwheat species and little research has been performed on other Fagopyrum species. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, F. esculentum seeds possess the ability of invigorating the spleen, eliminating food stagnating and descending qi-flowing It has been cited as an anti-hemorrhagic and hypotensive drug in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia and used as therapeutics for anti-inflammation, detoxification and lowering the fever in Korean folk medicine [12,13], whereas F. tataricum seeds have been found in wide use for antioxidant, antitumor, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic purposes [14,15,16,17,18]. Due to the prominent values of these three Fagopyrum species on both edible and medicinal uses, in this paper, we have documented an up-to-date and comprehensive retrospection of the phytochemical and pharmacological studies on these three Fagopyrum buckwheats, which provided a scientific basis for further studies on these species
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
