Liquidambar formosana Hance: A Mini-review of Chemical Constituents and Pharmacology

Aims: Liquidambar formosana Hance is of great an ornamental and economic arbor. Its’ various organs, such as the gum, fruits, barks, and leaves have a great medicinal value and commonly used in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. Currently, several studies aimed at isolation and identification of active constituents of L. formosana and its pharmacological actions of different plant parts based on the treatment of several diseases. The main objective of this paper is to review recent advances of L. formosana in chemical constituents and pharmacology during the last two decades, in an attempt to provide useful references for plant drug studies.

Methodology: Information on L. formosana from journals and books published during the last two decades was collected based on worldwide accepted scientific databases via an electronic search (PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Springer, Web of Science and CNKI).

Results: The detailed phytochemical composition with respect to the pharmacological properties of different parts of this multipurpose tree. Trace elements, volatile oils, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids and phenylpropanoids constituents are the natural plant secondary metabolites known from the different organs of L. formosana. The main pharmacological actions of L. formosana and compounds isolated therefrom include antitumor, antithrombotic, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory antidepressant, and antioxidant actions. L. formosana leaves are a strong antioxidant source and may either mitigate or prevent generation of free radicals.

Conclusion: Many pharmacological activities appear to be attributable to terpenoid and the flavonoid constituents; terpenoids had been proposed as being responsible for the antitumor, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities that had been documented for L. formosana. Based on the foundation of chemical constituents, their possible contribution to the demonstrated efficacy of extracts obtained from L. formosana, as well as new directions on quality control and application of this plant are suggested. These biologically active compounds are also being determined quantitatively by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis, which can be used to control the quantity of this plant. L. formosana will be further developed as medicinal and economic values, and thereby promote its cultivation. Further research is required to isolate and identify more new compounds contribute to the pharmacological effects.