Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk.: A review of botany, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, and quality control.

Authors

Huaxi Zhang, Yangquan Liu, Jin Zhang, Xuegang Zhou, Zhe Jia, Chengjie Deng, Ping Xin

Published in

Journal of ethnopharmacology. Pages 122297. Aug 12, 2026. Epub Aug 12, 2026.

Abstract

Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk. (S. divaricata) is a medicinal plant used in TCM, with its dried radix serving as the medicinal part. Recorded as a top-grade herb in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, it is traditionally indicated for dispelling wind and relieving exterior symptoms, eliminating dampness and relieving pain, and alleviating spasms. It is widely used in the treatment of common cold and headache, rheumatoid arthralgia, rubella with pruritus, and tetanus.
This review provides a comprehensive update on S. divaricata, encompassing botanical characteristics, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and quality control. The objective is to integrate existing data, elucidate the ethnopharmacological basis, and identify directions for further investigation and therapeutic application.
Scientific literature was sourced from classical TCM writings, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and online databases, including CNKI, PubMed, Web of Science, SciFinder, and ScienceDirect. The search covered all publications up to 2026.
The review confirms that S. divaricata is extensively used in several East Asian traditional medicine systems, including TCM, Korean Medicine, and Japanese Kampo. Over 160 compounds have been identified, mainly chromones (e.g., 5-O-methylvisamminol, cimifugin, prim-O-glucosylcimifugin), coumarins, polyacetylenes, and other constituents. Pharmacological studies have largely substantiated its traditional uses, demonstrating anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anti-rheumatic, osteoprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects. Mechanistically, chromones exert anti-inflammatory and anti-RA activities by regulating NF-κB/MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways, with prim-O-glucosylcimifugin directly targeting GBP5 to suppress the NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pyroptosis cascade. Chromones have been established as critical markers for quality assessment. Additionally, pharmacokinetic studies indicate that glycosides act as prodrugs hydrolyzed to active aglycones, and toxicological evaluations have confirmed its safety profile.
This review comprehensively summarizes the botany, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, and quality control of S. divaricata, confirming the scientific basis for its traditional efficacy. However, challenges remain, including incomplete elucidation of multi-component synergistic mechanisms and inadequate quality evaluation indicators. Future research should focus on holistic mechanisms, bioactivity-integrated quality control, and clinical translation.

PMID:
42586391
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 13 Aug 2026.

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