title: The medicinal and pharmaceutical importance of Dendrobium species.
abstract: Plants of the Dendrobium genus, one of the largest in the Orchidaceae, manifest a diversity of medicinal effects encompassing antiangiogenic, immunomodulating, antidiabetic, cataractogenesis-inhibiting, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet aggregation, antifungal, antibacterial, antiherpetic, antimalarial, aquaporin-5 stimulating, and hemagglutininating activities and also exert beneficial actions on colonic health and alleviate symptoms of hyperthyroidism. The active principles include a wide range of proteinaceous and non-proteinaceous molecules. This mini-review discusses the latest advances in what is known about the medicinal and pharmaceutical properties of members of the Dendrobium genus and explores how biotechnology can serve as a conduit to mass propagate valuable germplasm for sustainable exploration for the pharmaceutical industry.
authors.affiliation: , P. O. Box 7, Miki-cho post office, Ikenobe 3011-2, Kagawa-ken, 761-0799, Japan. jaimetex@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jaime A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Teixeira da Silva
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. b021770@mailserv.cuhk.edu.hk.|Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China. b021770@mailserv.cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Tzi Bun
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D031667:Dendrobium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011134:Polysaccharides
keywords: Biotechnology; D. officinale Kimura et Migo; Orchidaceae; Polysaccharides; Tie-pi-shi-hu