Botanical, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Applications of Genus Heracleum: A Review.
- 1Xi' an Institute for Food and Drug Control, Xi' an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
- 2School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Research and Application of "Taibai Qi Yao, Xianyang, People's Republic of China.
Abstract
The genus Heracleum belongs to the Apiaceae family and is widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, predominantly in Eurasia, with approximately 70 species recorded globally. This genus possesses abundant medicinal resources and has a long history of use in traditional medicine, commonly employed to treat various conditions such as inflammation, gastrointestinal bloating, and stomach pain. In recent years, researchers worldwide have isolated and identified numerous chemical constituents from this genus, with coumarin derivatives emerging as the primary bioactive compounds. These exhibit diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and antioxidant effects. Moreover, the novel and complex coumarin oligomers (dimers to tetramers) such as canditririn A (trimer) and canditetrarin B (tetramer) with unique cage-like structures present in these plants hold significant promise for medicinal development. This review systematically summarizes the botanical characteristics, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and applications of Heracleum species, aiming to provide references for further exploration of their therapeutic value and research development.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026botanical,
title = {{Botanical, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Applications of Genus Heracleum: A Review.}},
author = {Nan Zhang and Yuan Li and Zhi-Yuan Guo and Ye-Zi Ma and Miao-Miao Xu and Dong-Dong Zhang},
journal = {Chemistry \& biodiversity},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/cbdv.71836},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42904855},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Botanical, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Applications of Genus Heracleum: A Review.
AU - Nan Zhang
AU - Yuan Li
AU - Zhi-Yuan Guo
AU - Ye-Zi Ma
AU - Miao-Miao Xu
AU - Dong-Dong Zhang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Chemistry & biodiversity
DO - 10.1002/cbdv.71836
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42904855
AB - The genus Heracleum belongs to the Apiaceae family and is widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, predominantly in Eurasia, with approximately 70 species recorded globally. This genus possesses abundant medicinal resources and has a long history of use in traditional medicine, commonly employed to treat various conditions such as inflammation, gastrointestinal bloating, and stomach pain. In recent years, researchers worldwide have isolated and identified numerous chemical constituents from this genus, with coumarin derivatives emerging as the primary bioactive compounds. These exhibit diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and antioxidant effects. Moreover, the novel and complex coumarin oligomers (dimers to tetramers) such as canditririn A (trimer) and canditetrarin B (tetramer) with unique cage-like structures present in these plants hold significant promise for medicinal development. This review systematically summarizes the botanical characteristics, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and applications of Heracleum species, aiming to provide references for further exploration of their therapeutic value and research development.
SN - 1612-1872
SN - 1612-1880
ER -