title: Current Advances in the Biological Activity of Polysaccharides in Dendrobium with Intriguing Therapeutic Potential.
abstract: The polysaccharides in many plants are attracting worldwide attention because of their biological activities and medical properties, such as anti-viral, anti-oxidative, antichronic inflammation, anti-hypertensive, immunomodulation, and neuron-protective effects, as well as anti-tumor activity. Denodrobium species, a genus of the family orchidaceae, have been used as herbal medicines for hundreds of years in China due to their pharmacological effects. These effects include nourishing the Yin, supplementing the stomach, increasing body fluids, and clearing heat. Recently, numerous researchers have investigated possible active compounds in Denodrobium species, such as lectins, phenanthrenes, alkaloids, trigonopol A, and polysaccharides. Unlike those of other plants, the biological effects of polysaccharides in Dendrobium are a novel research field. In this review, we focus on these novel findings to give readers an overall picture of the intriguing therapeutic potential of polysaccharides in Dendrobium, especially those of the four commonly-used Denodrobium species: D. huoshanense, D. offininale, D. nobile, and D. chrysotoxum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Ting
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Chinese Medicine Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Heng-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, Research Center for Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.|Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yung-Hsiang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan.|Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, Research Center for Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Yen
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D031667:Dendrobium / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides
keywords: Chinese herb medicine; Dendrobium; antioxidants; biological effects; natural products; polysaccharides.