Spatholobi Caulis, the vine stem of Spatholobus suberectus and widely used in China and Southeast Asian nations, has the effects on nourishing the blood and promoting blood flow, regulating menstruation and relieving pain, and invigorating the nerves. Through consulting the herbal textual and local chronicles, we summarized the original textual research and medicinal evolution on Spatholobi Caulis to analyze the changes of varieties in different historical periods. Further, the major active ingredient in Spatholobi Caulis was discussed. According to the literature to date, 60 flavonoids compounds have been isolated and could be divided into isoflavones, dihydroflavones, flavanols, dihydroflavonols, procyaninides, chalcones, pterocarpans, isoflavanols, isoflavanones and aurone according to their molecular structures. These indicative ingredients in Spatholobi Caulis showed pharmacological activities on regulation of the blood system, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, anti-virus, anti-bacteria and inhibition of melanin deposition. This review will provide reference and basis for the sustainable use of resources and industry development on Spatholobi Caulis.
Keywords: Spatholobi Caulis; flavonoids; herbal textual evolution; pharmacological activity.
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