Pharmacological Effects and Chemical Constituents of Bupleurum.

Radix Bupleuri is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years with confirmed curative effects. Except for medicine, it is also used in healthy food, and cosmetics for its specifc activities. Therefore, the chemical constituents, mainly including flavonoids, lignins, Phenyl propanol derivatives, triterpenoid saponins, and volatile oils, and pharmacological effects have been well studied by many scholars in recent years and a comprehensive and systematic review on chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Radix Bupleuri is indispensable. This paper aims at reviewing the chemical components and pharmacological effects of Radix Bupleuri in recent years through searching for the literatures both at home and abroad. Our results show that diverse pharmacological effects and more than 281components have been isolated from Radix Bupleuri, including 15 flavonoids, 430 lignins, 12 Phenyl propanol derivatives, 66 triterpenoid saponins, and 158 volatile oils, which could lay a foundation for the further application of Radix Bupleuri.