Evaluation of Verbascum species and harpagoside in models of acute and chronic inflammation

Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl: a review of its phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and pharmacokinetics

OBJECTIVES

Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl (SNH) is a commonly used medicinal plant in East Asia. Scrophulariae Radix (SR) is the dried roots of SNH, and is one of the most commonly used medicinal parts of SNH, and is an essential traditional medicine and widely used in East Asia for more than 2000 years. SR is used for clearing away heat and cooling blood, nourishing Yin and reducing fire, detoxicating and resolving a mass. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and pharmacokinetics of SNH based on the surveyed and summarized literature.

KEY FINDINGS

Up to now, iridoids, phenolic glycosides, phenolic acids, alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenes and other compounds have been isolated and identified from SNH. The extract and chemical components of SNH exerts multiple pharmacological effects, such as hepatoprotective effect, anti-inflammatory effect, neuroprotective effect, anti-ventricular remodeling effect and other activities. Various methods have been developed for the quality control of SNH, mainly for SR. Some bioactive compounds in SNH exhibited different pharmacokinetic behaviours and individual metabolic transformation profiles.

SUMMARY

This review will contribute to understanding the correlation between the pharmacological activities and the traditional usage of SNH, and useful to rational use and drug development in the future.

Harpagoside: from Kalahari Desert to pharmacy shelf

Harpagoside is an iridoid glycoside that was first isolated from Harpagophytum procumbens (devil's claw, Pedaliaceae), a medicinal plant in which it is the major constituent of the iridoid pool. Both the pure compound and devil's claw extracts have potent anti-rheumatic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. According to the European Pharmacopoeia commercial devil's claw products should contain at least 1.2% harpagoside. However, the compound has also been isolated from several other plant species and in vitro plant culture systems. Recent advances in knowledge of harpagoside distribution, biosynthesis/accumulation and pharmacology are summarized in this review. We also discuss the possible synergism and/or antagonism between major constituents in harpagoside-containing phytopharmaceutical products. Finally, future perspectives for its potential application are highlighted.