RESUMO
As a traditional Chinese medicine, Pithecellobium clypearia has been commonly used for hundreds of years. Its unilateral preparations are applied for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, pharyngitis, laryngitis, acute tonsillitis, acute gastroenteritis and other diseases. The present researches indicate that flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, organic phenolic acids, triterpenes, and steroids are the main chemical constituents of P. clypearia, which have a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-oxidation, anti-virus, inhibition of T lymphocyte proliferation, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy and so on. According to the domestic and foreign relevant literatures, the chemical composition, quality standards, pharmacological activity, and clinical application of P. clypearia were systematically summarized in this paper, which could provide the reference for the further investigation and development of this herbal plant.