title: Secondary metabolites of plants from the genus Saussurea: chemistry and biological activity.
abstract: The Asteraceae family comprises ca. 1000 genera, mainly distributed in Asia and Europe. Saussurea DC., as the largest subgenus of this family, comprises ca. 400 species worldwide, of which ca. 300 species occur in China. Most plants in China grow wild in the alpine zone of the Qingzang Plateau and adjacent regions at elevations of 4000 m. Plants of the genus Saussurea (Asteraceae) are used in both traditional Chinese folk medicine and Tibet folklore medicine, since they are efficacious in relieving internal heat or fever, harmonizing menstruation, invigorating blood circulation, stopping bleeding, alleviating pain, increasing energy, and curing rheumatic arthritis. A large number of biologically active compounds have been isolated from this genus. This review shows the chemotaxonomy of these compounds (215 compounds) such as sesquiterpenoids (101 compounds), flavonoids (19 compounds), phytosterols (15 compounds), triterpenoids (25 compounds), lignans (32 compounds), phenolics (23 compounds), and chlorophylls (11 compounds). Biological activities (anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antitumor, hepatoprotective, anti-ulcer, cholagogic, immunosuppressive, spasmolytic, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antifeedant, CNS depressant, antioxidant, etc.) of these compounds, including structure-activity relationships, are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Natural Product Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yu-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.forename: Qing-Wen
authors.initials: QW
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yu-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiyota
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D030441:Saussurea / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents