Advances in chemical constituents of Schisandra chinensis and activities of anti-type 2 diabetes / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Schisandra chinensis is a Magnoliaceae plant, widely distributed in the southeastern part of China and the three northeastern provinces. The main active ingredients of S. chinensis are lignans, volatile oil, polysaccharide, fatty acid, et al. S. chinensis is often used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes in clinical practice with remarkable curative effect. Accumulating studies showed that S. chinensis possess the pharmacological profiles of anti-insulin resistance, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis, anti-oxidative stress, inhibition of vascular disease, and protection of vascular endothelium, which can improve diabetes and its complications. This paper reviews the research status of active ingredients and pharmacological effects of S. chinensis in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and its complications in the past 40 years, which provides a theoretical reference for the rational clinical promotion and new drug development of S. chinensis as a therapeutic drug for diabetes.