Phytochemicals and Biological Activities of Poisonous Genera of Ericaceae in China

The family Ericaceae is comprised of about 70 genera of which about 20 are found throughout China. Of these Ledum, Rhododendron, Enkianthus, Pieris, Craibiodendron, Gaultheria, Vaccinium, and Leucothoe are regarded as poisonous. Many species of these poisonous genera are used as Chinese herbal medic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Natural Product Communications 2014-03, Vol.9 (3), p.427-442
Main Authors: Wang, Xiaohong, Jiang, Rui, Liu, Zizhen, Liu, Weirui, Xie, Meng, Wei, Shengli, She, Gaimei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
China
Ericaceae - chemistry
Molecular Structure
Phenols - chemistry
Plants, Toxic - chemistry
Terpenes - chemistry
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Summary:The family Ericaceae is comprised of about 70 genera of which about 20 are found throughout China. Of these Ledum, Rhododendron, Enkianthus, Pieris, Craibiodendron, Gaultheria, Vaccinium, and Leucothoe are regarded as poisonous. Many species of these poisonous genera are used as Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of, for example, inflammation, asthma, and coughs. Modern research has demonstrated that the toxic ingredients of these poisonous genera are chiefly tetracyclic diterpenes, which have adverse effects on the digestive, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Because various species of these poisonous genera also have medicinal functions, extensive studies of these plants have led to the identification of many kinds of compound. This paper compiles 306 compounds from the eight poisonous genera, reported in 141 references.
ISSN:1934-578X
1555-9475
DOI:10.1177/1934578X1400900333