Full title: Function, mechanism of action, metabolism, and commercial application of Lonicera japonica: a review

Abstract

Lonicera japonica (honeysuckle) is a traditional Chinese medicinal food, in which the main active ingredients are phenolic acids, polysaccharides, flavonoids, and volatile oils. They have various biological activities, including antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering, and anti-inflammatory effects. This review summarizes the health effects and pharmacodynamic mechanisms of Lonicera japonica extracts and the major active ingredients in these extracts, and the structures, metabolic process in vivo, and biotransformation processes of these compounds. In addition, the current status of the development of Lonicera japonica-related functional foods is summarized. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis and reference for the further development and use of the active ingredients in Lonicera japonica as functional foods for disease prevention and treatment. Keywords： Lonicera japonica extract and functional components; Health effects; Mechanisms; Commercial application Preparation of medicine and food homologous plant honeysuckle probiotic used e.g. for enhancing human immunity involves boiling honeysuckle in water, adding probiotic bacteria, propagating probiotics, granulating with extract, and drying Functional food for preventing cold and enhancing immunity of children comprises needle-leaf cherry concentrate, honeysuckle extract, purple daisy extract, prebiotics, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus acidophilus Functional food, useful for improving immunity for children comprises pine pollen, black fungus, rice, soybean, carrot powder, dried ginger, Rhubarb, Angelica, Honeysuckle, turmeric, Peucedanum, Radix peucedani, citric acid, and malic acid Functional food comprises bee pollen, maltodextrin, balanced traditional Chinese medicine and food material compositions with same medicine and food, and traditional Chinese medicine food material comprises honeysuckle, and poria Medicine food homologous herb tea comprises Honeysuckle, dandelion, chrysanthemum, Houttuynia herb, and mint Clear throat Function food useful for acute pharyngitis, comprises honeysuckle, dandelion, gardenia, rhizoma phragmitis, Scaphium scaphigerum, and snow pear powder and chufa powder Functional food useful for e.g. relieving discomfort of tobacco throat, contains masaikai caper seed, emblic leafflower fruit, rhizoma polygonati, kudzu vine root, honeysuckle, dried orange peel, mint, pine pollen, licorice and water Granules used as ordinary food or functional food for treating throat inflammation, comprise Ampelopsis, honeysuckle, Chrysanthemum, mint, fructus momordicae, boat-fruited Sterculia, radix glycyrrhizae preparata, and honey Product useful in food or medicine for moistening and cleaning throat, comprises honeysuckle extract, fructus momordicae extract, Chrysanthemum extract, Scaphium scaphigerum extract and menthol Moisten lung and relieve cough Functional food containing Dendrobium useful for improving lung injury induced by cigarette smoke, comprises Dendrobium, fructus momordicae, licorice, radix platycod...