A Comprehensive Review of Genus Sanguisorba: Traditional Uses, Chemical Constituents and Medical Applications

Abstract

Genus Sanguisorba (family: Rosaceae) comprises nearly 148 species, distributed widely across the temperate and subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Sanguisorba officinalis L. (S. officinalis) has been used as a hemostatic and scald treating medicine in China for a long time. Numerous studies have demonstrated that plant extracts or monomers from S. officinalis exhibit several pharmacological effects, such as anti-cancer, anti-virus, anti-inflammation, anti-bacteria, neuroprotective and hepatoprotective effects. The other species of genus Sanguisorba are also being studied by researchers worldwide. Sanguisorba minor Scop. (S. minor), as an edible wild plant, is a common ingredient of the Mediterranean diet, and its young shoots and leaves are often mixed with traditional vegetables and consumed as salad. Reports on genus Sanguisorba available in the current literature were collected from Google Scholar, Web of Science, Springer, and PubMed. The Plant List (http://www.theplantlist.org./tpl1.1/search?q=Sanguisorba), International Plant Name Index (https://www.ipni.org/?q=Sanguisorba) and Kew Botanical Garden (http://powo.science.kew.org/) were used for obtaining the scientific names and information on the subspecies and cultivars. In recent years, several in vivo and in vitro experiments have been conducted to reveal the active components and effective monomers of S. officinalis and S. minor. To date, more than 270 compounds have been isolated and identified so far from the species belonging to genus Sanguisorba. Numerous reports on the chemical constituents, pharmacologic effects, and toxicity of genus Sanguisorba are available in the literature. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the current traditional applications of plants, which are supported by a large number of scientific experiments. Owing to these promising properties, this species is used in the treatment of various diseases, including influenza virus infection, inflammation, Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes and leukopenia caused by bone marrow suppression. Moreover, the rich contents and biological effects of S. officinalis and S. minor facilitate these applications in dietary supplements and cosmetics. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to summarize the recent advances in the traditional uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and clinical applications of genus Sanguisorba. The present comprehensive review may provide new insights for the future research on genus Sanguisorba.

Sanguisorba officinalis L. promotes diabetic wound healing in rats through inflammation response mediated by macrophage

“…In addition, in order to observe the effect of drugs on the healing of DW more directly and accurately, and to minimize the impact of animal heterogeneity, we constructed two wounds on the backs of diabetic rats, one for ESO treatment and the other for vehicle (PBS) treatment, which would have prevented us from detecting the effects of ESO on liver and renal function. Although S. officinalis L. is a common component of the Mediterranean diet with few toxic and side effects (Zhou et al, 2021), and it has accelerated the repair of DW, diabetic rats exhibited no obvious mental and activity abnormalities following ESO treatment; however, a systematic evaluation of systemic toxicity will strengthen the article. This is what is missing.…”

“…S. officinalis L. is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat skin injuries in China. In addition, recent pharmacological studies have shown that S. officinalis L. offers a variety of health benefits, including anti‐inflammatory, anti‐infectious, anti‐allergic, and anti‐oxidant properties (Yasueda et al, 2020; Zhou et al, 2021). However, no prior publication has described its use in DW.…”

The Application of Ethnomedicine in Modulating Megakaryocyte Differentiation and Platelet Counts

“…S·officinalis is called Di-Yu in China, Zi-Yu in South Korea and Japan, and Burnet in Western nations. Sanguisorbae Radix, the dried root of Sanguisorba officinalis L. or Sanguisorba officinalis var, is traditionally used to cool blood, clear heat and heal wounds [ 46 ]. Studies have shown that in the absence of exogenous IL-3, a concentration of Di-Yu saponins (DYS) higher than 20 mg/L can promote the differentiation and maturation of megakaryocytes, and DYS up-regulates the expression of IL-3R in megakaryocytes [ 47 ].…”

Sanguisorba officinalis L. suppresses non-small cell lung cancer via downregulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway based on network pharmacology and experimental investigation

“…Current studies have shown that TCMs, including Cremastra appendiculata ( Wang et al, 2021 ), Artemisia Annua ( Zhang S. Q et al, 2020 ) and Rhodiola rosea L. ( Zhang S. Q et al, 2020 ), can be used as candidate drugs against NSCLC. Sanguisorba officinalis L. (SOL) is a medicinal plant widely distributed in China ( Zhou et al, 2021 ). Currently, “Diyu Sheng Bai Pian,” made from SOL, is used clinically to treat leukopenia induced by antitumor drugs ( Zhao, 2019 ).…”