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Review
. 2017 Dec 1;8(6):827-849.
doi: 10.14336/AD.2017.0214. eCollection 2017 Dec.

Dendrobium: Sources of Active Ingredients to Treat Age-Related Pathologies

Veronika Cakova  1 , Frederic Bonte  2 , Annelise Lobstein  1
Affiliations
Review

Dendrobium: Sources of Active Ingredients to Treat Age-Related Pathologies

Veronika Cakova et al. Aging Dis. .

Abstract

Dendrobium represents one of the most important orchid genera, ornamentally and medicinally. Dendrobiums are sympodial epiphytic plants, which is a name they are worthy of, the name coming from Greek origin: "dendros", tree, and "bios", life. Dendrobium species have been used for a thousand years as first-rate herbs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). They are source of tonic, astringent, analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory substances, and have been traditionally used as medicinal herbs in the treatment of a variety of disorders, such as, nourishing the stomach, enhancing production of body fluids or nourishing Yin. The Chinese consider Dendrobium as one of the fifty fundamental herbs used to treat all kinds of ailments and use Dendrobium tonic for longevity. This review is focused on main research conducted during the last decade (2006-2016) on Dendrobium plants and their constituents, which have been subjected to investigations of their pharmacological effects involving anticancer, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective and immunomodulating activities, to report their undeniable potential for treating age-related pathologies.

Keywords: Dendrobium; aging; anti-diabetic; anticancer; immunomodulatory; neuroprotective.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Chemical structures of main anticancer compounds from Dendrobium spp.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Chemical structures of anti-diabetic compounds of loddigesiinols G-K from D. loddigesi.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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