The pharmacology and mechanisms of platycodin D, an active triterpenoid saponin from Platycodon grandiflorus

Abstract

Chinese doctors widely prescribed Platycodon grandiflorus A. DC. (PG) to treat lung carbuncles in ancient China. Modern clinical experiences have demonstrated that PG plays a crucial role in treating chronic pharyngitis, plum pneumonia, pneumoconiosis, acute and chronic laryngitis, and so forth. Additionally, PG is a food with a long history in China, Japan, and Korea. Furthermore, Platycodin D (PLD), an oleanane-type triterpenoid saponin, is one of the active substances in PG. PLD has been revealed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-oxidation, anti-obesity, anticoagulant, spermicidal, anti-tumor etc., activities. And the mechanism of the effects draws lots of attention, with various signaling pathways involved in these processes. Additionally, research on PLD’s pharmacokinetics and extraction processes is under study. The bioavailability of PLD could be improved by being prescribed with Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. or by creating a new dosage form. PLD has been recently considered to have the potential to be a solubilizer or an immunologic adjuvant. Meanwhile, PLD was discovered to have hemolytic activity correlated. PLD has broad application prospects and reveals practical pharmacological activities in pre-clinical research. The authors believe that these activities of PLD contribute to the efficacy of PG. What is apparent is that the clinical translation of PLD still has a long way to go. With the help of modern technology, the scope of clinical applications of PLD is probable to be expanded from traditional applications to new fields.

Cloning, Expression Characteristics of Farnesyl Pyrophosphate Synthase Gene from Platycodon grandiflorus and Functional Identification in Triterpenoid Synthesis

“…PD is the main medicinal active substance in P. grandiflorus, but the traditional extraction method is complicated, which seriously restricts its yield; some researchers have improved its content by mechanochemical-assisted extraction or converted platycoside E and platycodin D3 into PD by enzyme-catalyzed technology, but it still cannot meet the market demand. 31,32 PgHMGR is a key enzyme in the synthesis of triterpenoid saponins in plants. The transfection of overexpressed PgHMGR gene into the capillaries root system of P. grandiflorus resulted in a significant increase of saponins and phytosterols content, which verified the key role of the PgHMGR gene in the synthesis of saponins in P. grandiflorus.…”

A comprehensive strategy based on ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector fingerprinting and multi‐component ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry technology for quality control of Jiawei Huoxiang Zhengqi Pill

“…Thus, in this study, a high-throughput UPLC-MS/MS method was established and optimized for the quantification of 13 chemical markers in JHZP. Notably, these chemical markers were selected on either their inclusion in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition) as quality control markers or their biological activities had been widely reported [41][42][43][44][45]. In fact, many compounds in JHZP were capable of producing ultraviolet (UV) absorption phenomena, which could be detected by UV detectors.…”

Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and product application of Platycodon grandiflorum: A review

“…Ancient Chinese medical records highlight the widespread use of Jiegeng as an expectorant for relieving throat pain and eliminating mucus. Referred to as “baiyao”, “gengcao”, and “ji” in ancient Chinese texts, Jiegeng was employed to treat chest pain, abdominal distension, and intestinal tinnitus during the Han Dynasty ( Xie, Zhao, Zheng, & Li, 2023 ). It is recorded in the miscellaneous diseases section of Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases that the Jiegeng Decoction, made from Jiegeng and licorice, is effective in treating lung abscesses, cough with chest fullness, and vomiting of pus.…”