ABSTRACT
Dendrobium（Orchidaceae） is traditional Chinese medicine with a high healthcare value，which can nourish Yin and tonify deficiency. Eighty-nine flavonoids were isolated from Dendrobium，mainly including flavones，flavanoes and flavonols. Among them，there were 40 flavonoids，the main aglycones were apigenin and chrysoeriol；20 flavanones；and 15 flavonols，and the main aglycones were kaempferol and quercetin. D. officinale and several other species also have flavanonols，anthocyanidins，chalcone and isoflavones. There were 34 species of Dendrobium containing flavonoids，including 38 flavonoids in D. officinale，28 flavonoids in D. huoshanense，19 flavonoids in D. devonianum，12 flavonoids in D. wardianum，5 flavonoids in D. thyrsiflorum，4 flavonoids in D. denneanum and D. findlayanum. Common flavonoids included naringenin，quercetin，rutin，which had pharmacological effects of resisting oxidation，lowering blood sugar，improving blood circulation，lowing cholesterol，and protecting the cardiovascular system. The existing studies of Dendrobium-related species，flavonoids and their physiological functions were reviewed in the expectation to promote the attention of the industry to Dendrobium flavonoids and explore values of Dendrobium plants in efficacy and food fields.