Abstract
The Smilax species, widely distributed in tropical region of the world and the warm areas of East Asia and North America, are extensively used as folk medicine to treat inflammatory disorders. Chemical investigation on Smilax species showed they are rich sources of steroidal saponins with diversified structure types, including spirostane, isospirostane, furostane, pregnane, and cholestane. This review mainly summarizes the steroidal saponins (1–104) reported from the genus Smilax between 1967 and 2016, and their biological activities. The relationship between structures of steroidal saponins and related biological activities were briefly discussed.Graphical
Highlights
The genus Smilax (Liliaceae family) comprises about 300 species of climbing shrubs
Plants of the genus are widely distributed in tropical region of the world, and found in warm areas of East Asia and North America [1]
The rhizomes of S. riparia, S. nipponica, S. bockii, S. microphylla, and S. discotis were recorded in the Chinese Herbal Medicines to treat joint pain, edema, and rheumatoid arthritis [3]
Summary
The genus Smilax (Liliaceae family) comprises about 300 species of climbing shrubs. Plants of the genus are widely distributed in tropical region of the world, and found in warm areas of East Asia and North America [1]. The rhizomes of S. china and S. glabra, called ‘‘Jin Gang Teng’’ and ‘‘Tu Fu Lin’’ in Pharmacopoeia of People’s Republic of China respectively, are clinically used to treat chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, rheumatic arthritis and so on [2]. Steroidal saponins are characteristic bioactive components of the genus Smilax in terms of chemotaxonomic value and biological activities [7]. 104 steroidal saponins have been reported from 20 different Smilax species. These steroidal saponins showed significant antifungal, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, as well as cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitory activities. Steroidal saponins reported from the genus Smilax between 1967 and 2016 were listed, and the biological activities of steroidal saponins were included
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