The genus Tripterygium: A phytochemistry and pharmacological review

The genus Tripterygium belongs to the family Celastraceae, and contains three species, i.e. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F, Tripterygium hypoglaucum (Levl.) Hutch. and Tripterygium regelii Sprague et Takeda. All three species are reported to have excellent medicinal properties that help to cure rheumatoid arthritis, nephrotic syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus and widely used as a folk medicine in China. Phytochemical studies have led to discovering more than 500 secondary metabolites in this genus, including five main types: sesquiterpenoids, diterpenes, triterpenoids, flavonoids, lignans. This work provides structurally grouping statistic of 198 secondary metabolites of Tripterygium species published from 2008 to the present, as well as pharmacological knowledges in the past five years. The information will be helpful for developing the new discoveries of medicinal value related to the genus Tripterygium.