Phytochemical studies and biological activity of three Chinese Schisandra species (Schisandra sphenanthera, Schisandra henryi and Schisandra rubriflora): current findings and future applications

Abstract

Schisandra chinensis (Chinese magnolia vine) is the best-known representative of the genus Schisandra, widely used in the official East-Asian, North American and European medicine. The article recalls the healing value of this species and, above all, presents the current state of knowledge on the chemical composition and biological activity of three other species of the Schisandra genus: Schisandra sphenanthera, Schisandra henryi and Schisandra rubriflora. In addition to dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans (the so-called 'Schisandra chinensis lignans'), they also contain other groups of lignans (e.g. 4aryltetralin, aryltetralone, tetrahydrofuran and butane-type lignans) as the main compounds responsible for biological activity. The lignans are accompanied by other groups of compounds, including triterpenoids and nortriterpenoids. A review of biological studies, e.g. of empirically confirmed hepatoprotective, cytotoxic and anti-HIV-1 activities, proves that these species have a high therapeutic potential and may constitute a new East-Asian proposition for European medicine. The article also draws attention to the possibility of using the biosynthetic potential of the biomass from in vitro cultures of the described species and biotechnological solutions as an alternative to plant raw materials.

Schisandra rubriflora Plant Material and In Vitro Microshoot Cultures as Rich Sources of Natural Phenolic Antioxidants

“…S. rubriflora is a dioecious vine, whose fruits are known for their use in traditional Chinese medicine as sedatives and toning agents. This species is also traditionally used in the treatment of hepatitis, chronic gastroenteritis and neurasthenia [32,33]. To date, the potential pharmacological applications of S. rubriflora fruit been described only by the Chinese research groups.…”

“…AntiHIV-1 studies (inhibition of HIV-1 replication in H9 lymphocytes) were performed for fruit extracts [34,35]. Shoot extracts have been shown to be useful in the treatment of liver and bile duct disorders, through studies assessing their impact on the level of glutamin-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) in blood [32,36]. According to these studies, compounds from dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans as well as triterpenoids are responsible for these properties [34,37,38].…”

“…et Wils is another species of the genus Schisandra known from East Asian phytotherapy. The species seems to be closely related to S. chinensis but less known, as it is the endemic species (typical for the Sichuan province of China) [ 31 , 32 ]. The planting of S. rubriflora outside the East Asian region is limited [ 14 , 32 ].…”

Lignans and Their Derivatives from Plants as Antivirals

“…So far, more than 150 lignans have been isolated and identified from more than 60 species of Schisandraceae family [68]. The reason of dibenzocyclooctene lignans are called 'Schisandra chinensis lignans', even in the professional scientific literature [69]. Schisandra Chinensis (Turcz.)…”

EST-SSR markers identification based on RNA-sequencing and application in Schisandra chinensis

“…These are mostly attributable to dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, which are widely referred to as Schisandra lignans [5][6]. About 150 lignan derivatives with a dibenzocyclooctadiene skeleton have been identi ed in fruit extracts [7]. Due to habitat loss and excessive economic exploitation, the abundance of Schisandra species has decreased markedly in recent years, such that they are now endangered [8].…”