Progress in structural modification of representative lignan compounds / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Lignans which are polymerized by two or more phenylpropanoids derivatives were mostly found in the xylem and resin of plants. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that lignans have extensive biological activities, such as anti-tumor, anti-HIV, antidiabetics, anti-oxidant, cardiovascular and liver protections and so on. However, owing to the poor solubility of structures, its clinical application is still limited. Therefore, chemical modification methods are usually used by domestic and overseas researchers in order to improve their solubility. In this paper, a series of typical lignans such as arctigenin, podophyllotoxin, schisandrin, magnolol, and honokiol were taken as examples to summarize their structural modification methods and different biological activities, aiming to provide scientific basis for further exploitation and studies of lignans.