Pharmacological Properties of Acanthopanax Species
Summary
Acanthopanax species, commonly known as Siberian ginseng or Ciwujia, encompass several perennial shrubs valued in traditional medicine across Asia and Eastern Europe. Phytochemical investigations have identified key constituents such as eleutherosides, polysaccharides and flavonoids, which collectively contribute to adaptogenic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective activities. Extraction techniques have evolved from conventional solvent‐based methods to advanced approaches—including ultrasonic, microwave‐assisted and deep eutectic solvent systems—to enhance yield and preserve bioactivity. Pharmacodynamic studies reveal that Acanthopanax extracts modulate cytokine production, scavenge free radicals and inhibit inflammatory enzymes, underpinning their potential in fatigue reduction, cognitive support and adjunctive cancer therapy. Moreover, individual compounds such as phenylpropanoid glycosides exhibit hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects, suggesting utility in metabolic disorders. Safety profiles are generally favourable, though interactions via cytochrome P450 modulation warrant consideration. The global significance of Acanthopanax lies in its integration into nutraceuticals, functional beverages and phytopharmaceutical formulations, with ongoing research aimed at elucidating structure–activity relationships and optimising standardisation for clinical use.
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Pharmacological Properties of Acanthopanax Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in pharmacological properties of acanthopanax species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Eleutheroside: A glycoside characteristic of Acanthopanax, encompassing several structurally related compounds with adaptogenic and immunomodulatory effects.
Polysaccharide: Long‐chain carbohydrate polymers that often exhibit immunostimulatory and antioxidant properties in herbal extracts.
Flavonoid: Polyphenolic secondary metabolites with potent free‐radical scavenging activity and diverse biological functions.
Phenylpropanoid glycoside: Plant‐derived compounds containing a phenylpropane skeleton linked to sugar moieties, implicated in anti‐inflammatory and metabolic regulation.
Hyaluronidase: An enzyme that degrades hyaluronic acid in extracellular matrices, relevant to inflammation and tissue remodelling studies.
References
- A review of the extraction and purification methods, biological activities, and applications of active compounds in Acanthopanax senticosus. Frontiers in Nutrition (2024).
- Eleutherococcus divaricatus Fruits Decrease Hyaluronidase Activity in Blood Serum and Protect from Oxidative Damages in In Vitro Model. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
- Syringin: a naturally occurring compound with medicinal properties. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2024).
- Medicinal Plants of the Russian Pharmacopoeia; their history and applications. Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2014).
- Effects of Eleutheroside B and Eleutheroside E on activity of cytochrome P450 in rat liver microsomes. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies (2014).
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