title: The Hedyotis diffusa Willd. (Rubiaceae): A Review on Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Quality Control and Pharmacokinetics.
abstract: Hedyotis diffusa Willd (H. diffusa) is a well-known Chinese medicine with a variety of activities, especially its anti-cancer effect in the clinic. Up to now, 171 compounds have been reported from H. diffusa, including 32 iridoids, 26 flavonoids, 24 anthraquinones, 26 phenolics and their derivatives, 50 volatile oils and 13 miscellaneous compounds. In vitro and in vivo studies show these phytochemicals and plant extracts to exhibit a range of pharmacological activities of anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibroblast, immunomodulatory and neuroprotective effects. Although a series of methods have been established for the quality control of H. diffusa, a feasible and reliable approach is still needed in consideration of its botanical origin, collecting time and bioactive effects. Meanwhile, more pharmacokinetics researches are needed to illustrate the characteristics of H. diffusa in vivo. The present review aims to provide up-to-date and comprehensive information on the phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and pharmacokinetic characteristics of H. diffusa for its clinical use and further development.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China. ruichen1127@126.com.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China. ruichen1127@126.com.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Research Centre, Guangzhou Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458, Guangdong, China. jy.he@giat.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Jingyu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China. xueli_tong@126.com.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China. xueli_tong@126.com.
authors.forename: Xueli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China. tl405@smu.edu.cn.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China. tl405@smu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China. menghua_liu@hotmail.com.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China. menghua_liu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Menghua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D010777:Photochemistry; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000592:standards; D011786:Quality Control; D019666:Rubiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: H. diffusa; pharmacokinetics; pharmacology; phytochemistry; quality control