title: The genus Gnaphalium L. (Compositae): phytochemical and pharmacological characteristics.
abstract: The genus Gnaphalium, a herb distributed worldwide, comprises approximately 200 species of the Compositae (Asteraceae) family that belongs to the tribe Gnaphalieae. Some species are traditionally used as wild vegetables and in folk medicine. This review focuses on the phytochemical investigations and biological studies of plants from the genus Gnaphalium over the past few decades. More than 125 chemical constituents have been isolated from the genus Gnaphalium, including flavonoids, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, phytosterols, anthraquinones, caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, and other compounds. The extracts of this genus, as well as compounds isolated from it, have been demonstrated to possess multiple pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal, anti-complement, antitussive and expectorant, insect antifeedant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antihypouricemic properties. The present review compiles the information available on this genus because of its relevance to food and ethnopharmacology and the potential therapeutic uses of these species.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, Jilin, China. zhengxing@ybu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Huishan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.forename: Weiqiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Haibo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Chengai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D036622:Gnaphalium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D064209:Phytochemicals