The Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacology, Toxicity, and Applications of Corydalis saxicola Bunting: A Review

Yanru Guo; Linjun Zhao; Botao Chang; Jia Yu; Jiangping Bao; Qi Yao; Jun Luo

doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.822792

The Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacology, Toxicity, and Applications of Corydalis saxicola Bunting: A Review

Front Pharmacol. 2022 Feb 16:13:822792. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.822792. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Yanru Guo^{1

2}, Linjun Zhao³, Botao Chang^{1

2}, Jia Yu¹, Jiangping Bao¹, Qi Yao⁴, Jun Luo¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China.
² College of Graduate, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China.
³ Xintian Community Health Service Center of Guiyang, Guiyang, China.
⁴ Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China.

Abstract

Background: Corydalis saxicola Bunting (CSB) is a perennial herb belonging to genus Corydalis (Papaveraceae), called "Yan-huang-lian" in the Chinese folk. Traditionally, it is used to treat acute conjunctivitis, corneal pannus, acute abdominal pain, hemorrhoidal bleeding, haematochezia, swelling, hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) concepts. Purpose: This review aims to summarize and analyze the pharmacokinetics, pharmacological and toxicological properties of CSB and its extracts; to highlight the relevance of modern pharmacology to traditional pharmacology; also to assess its therapeutic potential. Methods: CSB related literatures were searched and screened from databases including PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI. The selected literatures provided reliable source identification evidences. Results: In traditional medicine concepts, CSB has the effects of clearing away heat and detoxification, eliminating dampness, relieving pain, and stopping bleeding. Its modern pharmacology includes hepatoprotective, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, anti-oxidative effects. Further, some pharmacological effects support its traditional uses. The CSB total alkaloids (CSBTA) are the main constituents isolated from this plant, and they exert the major of the pharmacological effects. Toxicological studies have shown that the toxicity of CSBTA is mild and reversible in rodents and beagle dogs. Conclusion: Although the present study summarizes the botany, phytochemistry, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, toxicity, and applications of this plant, it is still necessary to systemically evaluate the chemistry, safety and parameters related to drug metabolism of the extracts or compounds from this plant before or in clinical trials in the future. Meanwhile, cancers and inflammatory-related diseases may be new research directions of this ethnomedicine.

Keywords: Corydalis saxicola bunting; pharmacokinetics; pharmacology; phytochemistry; toxicity; traditional uses.

Publication types

Review