title: Botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Apocynum venetum L. (Luobuma): A review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apocynum venetum L. (Apocynaceae, Luobuma ) has a long history as a Chinese traditional medicine with uses to calm the liver, soothe the nerves, dissipate heat, and promote diuresis. Recently, Luobuma tea has been commercialized as a sedative and anti-aging supplement that has become increasingly popular in North American and East Asian health food markets.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the botany, chemical constituents, traditional uses, pharmacological activities and safety aspects of Apocynum venetum in order to assess its ethnopharmacological use and to explore its therapeutic potentials and future opportunities for research.
  
  
  METHODS
  The accessible literature on Apocynum venetum written in English, Chinese and Japanese were collected and analyzed. The literatures included ancient Chinese herbal classics, pharmacopoeias and articles that included in Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Wanfang.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Modern pharmacological studies demonstrated that Apocynum venetum possess wide pharmacological activities that include antihypertensive, cardiotonic, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, lipid-lowering, antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, which can be explained by the presence of various flavonoid compounds in this plant. The traditional (Lop Nor region) use of Apocynum venetum with tobacco as an agent to detoxify nicotine may receive interest as a possible therapeutic option to detoxify the body from smoking. Based on animal studies and clinical trials, Apocynum venetum causes no severe side effects, even in a stable daily dosage (50mg/person/day) for more than three years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Apocynum venetum potentially has therapeutic potential in the prevention and treatment for the cardiovascular and neurological diseases, especially for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, neurasthenia, depression and anxiety. Further investigations are needed to explore individual bioactive compounds responsible for these in vitro and in vivo pharmacological effects and the mode of actions. Further safety assessments and clinical trials should be performed before it can be integrated into medicinal practices.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D030010:Apocynum / Q000737:chemistry; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019448:Ethnobotany; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal