Secondary metabolites of genus Astragalus: Structure and biological activity

The potential of one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques for the identification of individual sugar residues, their anomeric configuration, interglycosidic linkages, sequencing and the site of any appended group, in establishing the structures of naturally occurring oligosaccharides and glycosides is presented.

Pentacyclic triterpenes (PTs) as aglycones of saponins have a wide distribution in plants, and many of them have been used as anti-inflammatory remedies in folk medicine. This survey critically reviews the effects of PTs on proinflammatory mediator signalling pathways and data from experimental animal models and clinical trials. Because the knowledge of their actions is far from being satisfactory a critical summary of the partly promising but mostly scattered and preliminary data might promote productive research on chances and risks of PTs. Antiproliferative and anti-infectious actions and effects on intracellular cell signalling and hormone metabolism are beyond the scope of this short review, although such effects might also contribute to the understanding of the systemic anti-inflammatory actions of aglycones. Show more