26虎杖

虎杖
Polygonum cuspidatum

虎杖，中药名。为蓼科植物虎杖 Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb.et Zucc.的干燥
根茎和根。春、秋二季采挖，除去须根，洗净，趁鲜切短段或厚片，晒干。分布于
西北、华东、华中、华南及西南等地。具有利湿退黄，清热解毒，散瘀止痛，止咳
化痰的功效。用于湿热黄疸，淋浊，带下，风湿痹痛，痈肿疮毒，水火烫伤，经
闭，症瘕，趺打损伤，肺热咳嗽。

Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. (Polygonum cuspidatum), also known as Reynoutria
japonica Houtt and Huzhang in China, is a traditional and popular Chinese medicinal
herb. Polygonu编m辑 cuspidatum with a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects has been used for
treatment of inflammation, favus, jaundice, scald, and hyperlipemia, etc.

Aim of the review

The present paper reviews the traditional applications as well as advances in botany,
phytochemistry, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and toxicology of this plant. Finally, the
tendency and perspective for future investigation of this plant are discussed, too.

Materials and methods

A systematic review of literature about Polygonum cuspidatum is carried out using resources
including classic books about Chinese herbal medicine, and scientific databases including
Pubmed, SciFinder, Scopus, the Web of Science and others.

Results

Polygonum cuspidatum is widely distributed in the world and has been used as a traditional
medicine for a long history in China. Over 67 compounds including quinones, stilbenes,
flavonoids, counmarins and ligans have been isolated and identified from this plant. The root of
this plant is used as the effective agent in pre-clinical and clinical practice for regulating lipids,
anti-endotoxic shock, anti-infection and anti-inflammation, anti-cancer and other diseases in
China and Japan.

Conclusion

As an important traditional Chinese medicine, Polygonum cuspidatum has been used for
treatment of hyperlipemia, inflammation, infection and cancer, etc. Because there is no enough
systemic data about the chemical constituents and their pharmacological effects or toxicities, it is
important to investigate the pharmacological effects and molecular mechanisms of this plant
based on modern realization of diseases’ pathophysiology. Drug target-guided and bioactivity-
guided isolation and purification of the chemical constituents from this plant and subsequent
evaluation of their pharmacologic effects will promote the development of new drug and make
sure which chemical constituent or multiple ingredients contributes its pharmacological effects.
Additionally, chemicals and their pharmacological effects of the other parts such as the aerial part
of this plant should be exploited in order to avoid resource waste and find new chemical
constituents.