Honglin Wang^1,2 , Bida Zhu¹ , Degang Zhao^1,2

1 The Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences/Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
2 Plant Conservation & Breeding Technology Center, Guizhou Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology/Guizhou Institute of Pomology Science, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, 550006, Guizhou, China
Author    Correspondence author
Medicinal Plant Research, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4   doi: 10.5376/mpr.2024.14.0016
Received: 08 Jun., 2024    Accepted: 15 Jul., 2024    Published: 28 Jul., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Wang H.L., Zhu B.D., and Zhao D.G., 2024, Ethnobotanical uses and phytochemistry of Eucommia ulmoides: a comprehensive review, Medicinal Plant Research, 14(4): 180-195 (doi: 10.5376/mpr.2024.14.0016)

Eucommia ulmoides, a widely used medicinal plant in traditional Chinese medicine, has a history of nearly two thousand years. This study systematically reviews the ethnobotanical uses and phytochemical properties of E. ulmoides, integrating historical knowledge with modern scientific research to explore its pharmacological activities and potential applications in modern medicine. The previous studies have demonstrated that E. ulmoides is rich in various bioactive compounds, including lignans, iridoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, which exhibit significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive and neuroprotective effects. Additionally, it reveals the potential applications of E. ulmoides extracts in treating cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. By thoroughly analyzing the traditional uses and phytochemical components of E. ulmoides, this study provides a scientific foundation for its application in modern medicine and identifies future research directions, particularly in the areas of bioactive compound isolation, pharmacological mechanisms, and clinical applications. This study is expected to promote the sustainable use and development of E. ulmoides in both traditional and modern medical systems.

Eucommia ulmoides; Ethnobotany; Phytochemistry; Pharmacological activity; Modern medical applications