Active chemical compounds of traditional Chinese medicine Herba Leonuri: implications for cardiovascular diseases.

1. Herba Leonuri, a traditional Chinese medicine, has a long history of development and application in China. In particular, Herba Leonuri has been widely used in the treatment of gynaecological and obstetric disorders for thousands of years. Recent studies have shown that Herba Leonuri has many different effects. 2. Herba Leonuri contains several active components, including alkaloids, flavonoids, diterpenes compounds and fatty acids. Recent studies have shown that these molecules exert beneficial effects in coronary artery disease and cerebral ischaemia. Thus, these molecules may become novel candidates for drug discovery and development. 3. The present review provides an overview of the chemical composition, with a focus on biological activity, of Herba Leonuri to stimulate new studies on traditional Chinese medicine.