Kadsura coccinea: A rich source of structurally diverse and biologically important compounds

Abstract

Kadsura coccinea belongs to medicinally important genus Kadsura from the Schisandraceae family. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and gastroenteric disorders. The initial phytochemical work focused on the identification of some structurally novel and diverse natural products, which turned the attention of many researchers towards this plant. Thus far, 202 compounds have been reported in this plant. Lignans and terpenoids were found as the main chemical constituents of this plant. Some of the triterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids with novel structures are of particular interest for natural product researchers. The isolated compounds of this plant have shown different bioactivities including anti-tumor, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory and other pharmacological effects. This review systematically summarizes all the phytochemical and pharmacological work done so far on K. coccinea, and can be used as a reference for future research on this plant.

Keywords: Heilaohu; Kadsura coccinea (Lem.) A.C. Smith; lignans; pharmacology; rheumatoid arthritis; triterpenoids.