Honokiol: A naturally occurring lignan with pleiotropic bioactivities.
10.1016/S1875-5364(21)60047-X
- Author:
Cheng CHEN
1
;
Qing-Wen ZHANG
1
;
Yang YE
2
;
Li-Gen LIN
3
Author Information
1. State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
2. State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
3. State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China. Electronic address: ligenl@um.edu.mo.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Bioactivities;
Clinical trials;
Ethnopharmacological uses;
Honokiol;
Natural sources;
Physicochemical properties
- MeSH:
Apoptosis;
Biphenyl Compounds/pharmacology*;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*;
Humans;
Lignans/pharmacology*;
Magnolia
- From:
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.)
2021;19(7):481-490
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Honokiol is the dominant biphenolic compound isolated from the Magnolia tree, and has long been considered as the active constituent of the traditional Chinese herb, 'Houpo', which is widely used to treat symptoms due to 'stagnation of qi'. Pharmacological studies have shown that honokiol possesses a wide range of bioactivities without obvious toxicity. Honokiol protects the liver, kidneys, nervous system, and cardiovascular system through reducing oxidative stress and relieving inflammation. Moreover, honokiol shows anti-diabetic property through enhancing insulin sensitivity, and anti-obese property through promoting browning of adipocytes. In vivo and in vitro studies indicated that honokiol functions as an anti-cancer agent through multiple mechanisms: inhibiting angiogenesis, promoting cell apoptosis, and regulating cell cycle. A variety of therapeutic effects of honokiol may be associated with its physiochemical properties, which make honokiol readily cross the blood brain barrier and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, with high bioavailability. In the future, more clinical researches on honokiol are needed to fully authenticate its therapeutic values.
