Research progress on medicinal plant of Urtica L / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Medicinal plants of Urtica L. have 13 species, three subspecies in China, with wind-damp-dispelling and blood-activating analgesic effects, and used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), skin diseases, digestive system, respiratory system, pediatric, and gynecological diseases. At present, more than 200 compounds were isolated from this genus, including flavonoids, alkaloids, lignans, coumarins, terpenes, steroids, organic acids, and volatile oils. Its extracts have pharmacological actions of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-benign prostatic hyperplasia, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and so on. However, it is still lack of the therapeutic material basis and mechanism research. In recent years, the medicinal value of this genus has been widely concerned by scholars at domestic and foreign, European has developed various drugs for the treatment of RA and BPH from this genus appeared on the market. Therefore, it is necessary to study and develop Urtica L. medicinal plants of our country, especially for the unreported characteristic Tibetan medicinal materials of U. tibetica and U. hyperborean with abundant resources, which should be in-depth systematic study. In this paper, the medicinal situation, chemical composition, and pharmacological action of the medicinal plants of Urtica L. were reviewed and analyzed by referring to the relevant herbal works and domestic and foreign research literatures, which can provide the scientific basis for further research and clinical application of this genus.