Recent pharmacological studies on natural products in China.
Natural products have been used as medicinal agents for many years. In addition, these compounds have also served as the starting points for semisynthetic analogs with improved properties. This review focuses on recent advances in the pharmacological studies on natural products mainly performed and published in China. Emphasis will be placed on those compounds that show the greatest promise clinically such as huperzine A (9-amino-13-ethylidene-11-methyl-4-azatricyclo[7.3.1.0(3.8)]trideca-3(8),6,11-trien-5-one), s-(-)-3-n-butylphthalide (s-(-)-3-butyl-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone), (-)-clausenamide (3-hydroxy-4-phenyl-5a-hydroxybenzyl-N-methyl-gamma-lactam) and Ginkgo biloba extract and its active components.
Zhu
Xing Zu
XZ
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China. xzzhu@mail.shcnc.ac.cn
Li
Xiao-Yu
XY
Liu
Jin
J
D000470:Alkaloids; D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001599:Berberine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002681:China; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D007769:Lactams / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D017705:Lignans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D027821:Rutaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
D000470:Alkaloids; D001572:Benzofurans; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D004224:Diterpenes; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007769:Lactams; D017705:Lignans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C050426:huperzine A; D001599:Berberine; C010513:stepholidine; C053048:clausenamide; C001899:triptolide; C027125:3-n-butylphthalide