Review Article

New Insights into the Chemical and Biochemical Basis of the “Yang-Invigorating” Action of Chinese Yang-Tonic Herbs

Table 1

Triterpenes and phytosterols in Chinese Yang-tonic herbs.

CompoundsHerbsMedicinal partsReference

Ursane-type triterpenes
 Ursolic acid (1)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. Stem[69]
Morindae officinalis HowRoot[70]
Eucommiae ulmoides Oliv.Bark[71]
Leaf[72]
 Acetyl ursolic acid (2)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. Stem[69]
 Malonyl ursolic acid hemiester (3)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. Stem[69]
 Rotungenic acid (6)Morindae officinalis HowRoot[73]
 Ulmoidol A (20)Eucommiae ulmoides Oliv.Leaf[72]
  Ulmoidol (21)Eucommiae ulmoides Oliv.Leaf[72]
 Corosolic acid (22)Eucommiae ulmoides Oliv.Leaf[72]
 2α,3α-Dihydroxy-24-nor-4(23)-12-oleanadien-28-oic acid (23)Eucommiae ulmoides Oliv.Leaf[72]
Oleanane-type triterpenes
 Oleanolic acid (4)Morindae officinalis HowRoot[70]
Eucommiae ulmoides Oliv.Leaf[72]
Epimedium brevicornum Maxim.Leaf[74]
 Malonyl oleanolic acid hemiester (5)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. Stem[69]
 Oleanolic acid-derived triterpene saponins (7–19)Dipsacus asper Wall. Ex HenryRoot[42, 75]
 Methyl ester derivatives of oleanane glycosides (37–42)Astragalus complanatus R. Br Seed[43]
Chiratane-type triterpene
 20β-Hydroxychiratan-22-one (25)Drynaria fortune J. Sm.Root and stem[76]
Hopane-type triterpenes
 Fern-9(11)-ene (26)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[76]
 Dryocrassol acetate (27)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[76]
 Dryocrassol (28)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[76]
 Hop-22(29)-ene (29)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[76]
 Isoglaucanone (30)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[76]
 Diploptene (31)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[77]
 Hop-21-ene (32)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[77]
 Diplopterol (33)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[77]
Cycloartane-type triterpenes
 Cycloart-3β, 25-diol (24)Eucommiae ulmoides Oliv.Leaf[72]
 Cyclolaudenol (34)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[77]
 Cyclomargenol (35)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[77]
 Cyclolaudenone (36)Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[77]
 Curculigenin A, B, D (45, 56, 43)Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.Root and stem[78]
 Curculigosaponin A–J (46–55)Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.Root and stem[78]
 Curculigosaponin K, L (57, 58)Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.Root and stem[78]
 Curculigosaponin M (44) Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.Root and stem[78]
Furostane-type saponins
 Tuberoside A–C (59–61)Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng.Seed[44]
 Tuberoside F–I (65–68)Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng.Seed[79]
 Furostane-type oligoglycosides (69, 70)Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng.Seed[80]
Spirostane-type saponins
 Tuberoside M (62)Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng.Seed[46]
 Tuberoside D, E (63, 64)Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng.Seed[81]
 Neogitogenin (71)Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng.Seed[82]
 Protodioscin (72)Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng.Seed[82]
Steroids
 β-Sitosterol (73)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.Stem[83]
Cistanche deserticola Y. C. MaStem[84]
Morindae officinalis HowRoot[85]
Drynaria fortune J. SmRoot and stem[75]
Epimedium brevicornum Maxim.Leaf[71]
Astragalus complanatus R. BrSeed[77]
 β-Sitosteryl oleate (74)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.Stem[74]
 β-Sitosteryl glucoside (75)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. Stem[83]
Cistanche deserticola Y. C. MaStem[84]
Morindae officinalis HowRoot[86]
Dipsacus asper Wall. Ex HenryRoot[75]
Eucommiae ulmoides Oliv.Bark[71]
Epimedium brevicornum Maxim.Leaf[74]
Psoralea coryli folia L.Seed[85]
Cuscuta australis R. Br.Seed[87]
 β-Sitosteryl glucoside 6-O-aliphatate (76)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.Stem[83]
 β-Sitosterol palmitate (77)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.Stem[83]
 5α-Stigmast-9(11)-en-3β-ol (78)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.Stem[83]
 5α-Stigmast-9(11)-en-3β-ol tetracosantrienoic acid ester (79)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.Stem[83]
 β-Sitosterol-3-O-acetic acid (80)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.Stem[83]
 5α-Stigmast-9(11)-en-3β-ol (81)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.Stem[83]
 5α-Stigmast-9(11)-en-3β-ol tetracosantrienoic acid ester (82)Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.Stem[83]
 Campesterol (83)Cistanche deserticola Y. C. MaStem[88]
Cuscuta australis R. Br.Seed[87]
 Stigmastan-2, 5, 22-triene (84)Cistanche deserticola Y. C. MaStem[88]
 Stigmasterol (85)Morindae officinalis HowRoot[86]
Psoralea coryli folia LSeed[85]
 Delta 5-avenasterol (86)Cuscuta australis R. Br.Seed[87]
 Gamma-sitosterol (87)Epimedium brevicornum Maxim.Leaf[74]