Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma: A comprehensive review of its chemical composition, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and toxicity

Abstract

Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (ATR, Shi Chang Pu in Chinese), a natural product with multiple targets in various diseases. This review provides the comprehensive summary of the chemical composition, pharmacological effects, pharmacokinetics parameters and toxicity of ATR. The results indicated that ATR possesses a wide spectrum of chemical composition, including volatile oil, terpenoids, organic acids, flavonoids, amino acids, lignin, carbohydrates and so on. Accumulating evidence from various studies has shown that ATR exerts a wide range of pharmacological properties, including protecting nerve cells, alleviating learning and memory impairment, anti-ischemic, anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-arrhythmic, anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, and anti-oxidant activities. Currently, ATR is widely used in the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal digestive system, respiratory system in China, and for the treatment of epilepsy, depression, amnesia, consciousness, anxiety, insomnia, aphasia, tinnitus, cancers, dementia, stroke, skin diseases, and other complex diseases. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that β-asarone, α-asarone, cis-methylisoeugenol, and asarylaldehyde, the active components of ATR, were absorbed slowly after oral administration of ATR. Moreover, toxicity studies have suggested that ATR has no carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic toxicity. Nevertheless, long term or high-dose toxicity testing in animals to explore the acute and chronic toxicity of acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma is still lacking. In view of good pharmacological activities, ATR is expected to be a potential drug candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, depression, or ulcerative colitis. However, further studies are needed to elucidate its chemical composition, pharmacological effects, molecular mechanisms and targets, improve its oral bioavailability, and clarify its potential toxicity.

β-Asarone Alleviates High-Glucose-Induced Oxidative Damage via Inhibition of ROS Generation and Inactivation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells

“…Antioxidants with antiinflammatory effects exert inhibitory effects on the onset and progression of DR [41][42][43]. β-asarone, a type of volatile oil, exerts multiple pharmacological effects, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects [19,20,44]. In addition to these pharmacological effects, β-asarone is also known for toxicological effects in hepatoma, mutagenic, and genotoxic action [20].…”

“…β-Asarone (cis-2,4,5-trimethoxy-1-allyl phenyl) is a volatile oil present in various herbal medicines, including Acorus tatarinowii Schott. It exerts various biological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects [19,20]. For example, β-asarone suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines by blocking the NF-κB signaling pathway and preventing the development of neuroinflammatory diseases [21].…”

New Value of Acorus tatarinowii/gramineus Leaves as a Dietary Source for Dementia Prevention

“…They belong to the genus Acorus and have similar morphological characteristics in their aerial parts (i.e., leaves) and rhizomes [ 9 ]. Their rhizomes, Acorus tatarinowii rhizome (ATR) and Acorus gramineus rhizome (AGR), are widely used for amnesia in traditional Chinese medicine [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]; ATR is used in China, and AGR is used in Japan [ 9 ]. In contrast, their leaves, referred to as Acorus tatarinowii leaf (ATL) and Acorus gramineus leaf (AGL), are seldom used in traditional Chinese medicine and are usually discarded without their medicinal properties being known.…”

“…In Japan, the rhizomes are treated as pharmaceuticals, whereas the leaves are regarded as non-pharmaceuticals (i.e., treatable as foodstuffs). The rhizomes contain various ingredients [ 10 , 11 , 12 ], and α-asarone and β-asarone are the main active components that have been shown to improve cognition in mice and rats [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. We speculated that the leaves may contain some active ingredients similar to the rhizomes; therefore, we compared their effects on mouse cognition.…”

Research on the quality markers of antioxidant activity of Kai-Xin-San based on the spectrum–effect relationship

“…Meanwhile, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma is a great tonic medicine for benefiting Qi and invigorating vitality, with pharmacological effects which include improving learning and memory, stimulating the central nervous system, anti-tumor effects, and strengthening the immune system ( Shi et al, 2013 ; Jiang et al, 2019 ; Yu et al, 2020 ). Additionally, studies have reported that Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma has various pharmacological effects, including antioxidant and anti-depression properties, protecting nerve cells, alleviation of learning and memory impairment, and anti-myocardial ischemia ( Zhang et al, 2015 ; Wen et al, 2023 ). In addition to regulating gut microbiota, Poria cocos has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pharmacological activities in treating diseases ( Fang et al, 2021 ; Xu et al, 2022 ).…”