Chemical Constituents and Pharmacology of the Formosan Aristolochia Species

Aristolochia is an important genus widely cultivated and used in traditional Chinese medicine. The genus has attracted much interest and has been the subject of numerous chemical studies. In the last twelve years, all the Formosan species of Aristolochia have been investigated by our group for their chemical constituents and biological activities. They are sources of a number of physiologically active compounds of different classes, and various types of phenanthrene derivatives, terpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, lignoids, benzenoids, and steroids have been isolated from Formosan Aristolochia species. The nature of these constituents is compiled in this review together with their bioactivities in an effort to show the rapid development in the phytochemistry and the therapeutic applications of the Aristolochia species.