The traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of Cinnamomi ramulus: a review

Abstract

Objectives Cinnamomi ramulus (called Guizhi in Chinese) is a traditional medicine used to treat gastrointestinal dysfunction, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, spleen deficiency, Alzheimer's disease and obesity. This review aimed to provide a systematic summary on the geographical distribution, botany, traditional application, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology and other aspects of Cinnamomi ramulus. Key finding So far, more than 121 chemical compounds have been isolated from Cinnamomi ramulus, including volatile oil, organic acids, triterpenoid saponins, coumarins, tannins, flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides, steroids and polysaccharides. This paper reviews the pharmacological effects of Cinnamomi ramulus on antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumour, antipyretic and analgesic, antidiabetic and antiplatelet aggregation effects. Furthermore, the present review also indicates that Cinnamomi ramulus has the potential to develop into drugs for treating various diseases with high efficacy and low toxicity. Summary The convictive evidence from modern pharmacology research supports the traditional application of Cinnamomi ramulus. However, further studies on the structure-activity relationship of some of the isolated compounds may improve their biological potency. More toxicological studies will also contribute to the progress of clinical trial studies.

Fever and Antipyretic Supported by Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Multi-Pathway Regulation

“…It consists of phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, aliphatics, and its glycosides, sterols, flavonoids, and organic acids. Phenylpropanoids such as cinnamaldehyde have been considered the characteristic constituents of CR (Liu et al, 2019a). Cinnamaldehyde has been proved to have an antipyretic effect.…”

Mechanism deconvolution of Qing Fei Pai Du decoction for treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by label-free integrative pharmacology assays

“…The severe acute respiratory syndrome named Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused widespread infection across China and around the world since the end of 2019. In the process of fighting COVID-19, a lot of Chinese herbal preparations represented by Lung Cleansing and Detoxifying Decoction (LCDD) have been widely used in clinical practice and have shown good efficacy ( Gao et al, 2020 ; Liu et al, 2020a , Liu et al, 2020b , Liu et al, 2020c , Liu et al, 2020d ; Wang et al, 2020 ). LCDD, also named Qing Fei Pai Du Decoction, has been widely used for the treatment of exogenous fever since 200 CE in China.…”

“…), antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory activities ( Yang et al, 2015 ) 3 Prunus armeniaca L. (English: Armeniacae Semen, Chinese: Xing Ren) Pain and inflammatory diseases, reduce fever, relieve cough and quench thirst. ( Jung et al, 2008 ) 4 Gypsum fibrosum (Chinese: Sheng Shi Gao) / 5 Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.Presl (English: Cinnamomi Ramulus, Chinese: Gui Zhi) Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumour, antipyretic and analgesic ( Liu et al, 2020a , Liu et al, 2020b , Liu et al, 2020c , Liu et al, 2020d ) 6 Alisma plantago-aquatica L. (English: Alismatis Rhizoma, Chinese: Ze Xie) Anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular regulatory ( Fong et al, 2007 ) 7 Polyporus umbellatus(Pers.) Fries (English: Polyporus, Chinese: Zhu Ling) Treating edema, promoting diuretic processes, immune system enhancement and antimicrobial activities ( Bandara et al, 2015 ) 8 Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.)…”

Effects of medicinal plants mixture on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, and fecal microbiota in growing pigs

“…f.), Bidens pilosa L., Urena lobata L., and Pseuderanthemum palatiferum are widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical areas of Asia, especially Vietnam, and are considered as feed additives for animals [8]. The phytochemical components of these plants are tannins, saponins, phenols, alkaloids, and glycoside [9][10][11][12][13], which are known to be potential sources of useful drugs [14], especially exhibiting high antibacterial, immune, and antioxidant properties [12,[15][16][17][18]. Flavonoids of B. pilosa protect the liver function by limiting an increase in hepatic levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) on the carbon tetrachloride model in mice and no evidence of animal toxicity at 160 g/kg of animal live weight was observed [19].…”