Progress on the pharmacological research of puerarin: a review

Chin J Nat Med. 2014 Jun;12(6):407-14. doi: 10.1016/S1875-5364(14)60064-9.

Abstract

Contemporary pharmacological research has demonstrated that puerarin, the most important phytoestrogen extracted from Pueraria lobata(Willd.) Ohwi, has protecting functions on the cardiovascular system, nervous system, osteoporosis, liver injury, and inflammation in vivo and in vitro. Most of these research studies focused on inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis through regulating various bioactivators and signal pathways. Among these, superoxide dismutase (SOD), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and PI3K/Akt, MAPK, and NF-κB are of great importance. The data cited in this review were mainly obtained from articles listed in PubMed and Elsevier SDOL published from 1959 to 2013, and the search term used was "puerarin".

Keywords: Cardiovascular protection; Inflammation; Liver injury; Neuroprotection; Osteoporosis; Puerarin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Isoflavones / pharmacology*
  • Isoflavones / therapeutic use
  • Liver Diseases / prevention & control
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology
  • Neuroprotective Agents / therapeutic use
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Phytoestrogens / pharmacology*
  • Phytoestrogens / therapeutic use
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Pueraria / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Isoflavones
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Phytoestrogens
  • Plant Extracts
  • puerarin