- 2026-05-05
- Journal of ethnopharmacology 368
- Qingjun Shu
- Binbin Liao
- Zemei Zhu
- Lei Cheng
- Chaohai Li
- Jianbo Yang
- Caixia Wang
- Xinping Li
- Baozhong Duan
Study Design
- Type
- Review
- Methods
- Information on Polygonatum was retrieved from databases, including the Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, CNKI, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Springer. Research trends were further analyzed using bibliometric approaches.
Ethnopharmacological relevance
The genus Polygonatum comprises medicinal and edible plants with an ethnomedicinal history over 2000 years. These plants have long been regarded as important tonic herbs in China, Japan, Korea, India, Iran, and the Himalayan region, and are traditionally used for anti-aging, fatigue reduction, and the management of metabolic disorders.Aim of the study
This review aims to systematically summarize the botany, traditional applications, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and industrial uses of Polygonatum, thereby highlighting their potential for pharmaceutical and functional food development.Materials and methods
Information on Polygonatum was retrieved from databases, including the Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, CNKI, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Springer. Research trends were further analyzed using bibliometric approaches.Results
Polygonatum comprises approximately 107 species. To date, 501 compounds have been identified from Polygonatum, including saponins, polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenylpropanoids, and other constituents, which possess diverse bioactivities, including immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic effects, and have been widely applied in the pharmaceutical, functional food, and cosmetic industries. In addition, Polygonatum genus exhibit low toxicity. However, despite these promising properties, the underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently elucidated, and clinical evidence supporting their therapeutic efficacy is still lacking.Conclusions
Polygonatum species are valuable resources in traditional medicine and show great promise for therapeutic and functional applications. Future research should focus on clarifying the links between chemical constituents and their pharmacological activities, elucidating mechanisms of action, promoting the development of preventive healthcare products, and facilitating clinical translation.