%0 Journal Article
%T Phytochemicals and biological studies of plants from the genus Balanophora
%A Xiaohong Wang
%A Zizhen Liu
%A Wenlin Qiao
%A Ruiyang Cheng
%A Bin Liu
%A Gaimei She
%J Chemistry Central Journal
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1752-153x-6-79
%X Cinnamic acid derivative tannins, possessing a phenylacrylic acid derivative (e. g. caffeoyl, coumaroyl, feruloyl or cinnamoyl), which connected to the C(1) position of a glucosyl unit by O-glycosidic bond, are the characteristic components in genus Balanophora. In addition, several galloyl, caffeoyl and hexahydroxydiphenoyl esters of dihydrochalcone glucosides are found in B. tobiracola, B. harlandii, and B. papuana. Other compounds like phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, terpenoids and sterols are also existed. And their biological activities, such as radical scavenging activities, HIV inhibiting effects, and hypoglycemic effects are highlighted in the review.Balanophora is a genus belonging to the family Balanophoraceae which possesses about 120 species all over the world. Many of them distribute in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Oceania, and nearly 20 species are widely ranged in southwest of China [1,2]. These types of dioeciously parasitic plants are normally growing on the roots of the evergreen broadleaf trees, especially in the family of Leguminosae, Ericaceae, Urticaceae, and Fagaceae [1,3-5]. Species in this genus have miscellaneous biological properties such as clearing away heat and toxic, neutralizing the effect of alcoholic drinks, and used as a tonic for the treatment of hemorrhoids, stomachache and hemoptysis by local people in China. The plants of genus Balanophora have been recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica and were called ¡®Gecaihua¡¯ or ¡®Geru¡¯ [3,5,6].Phytochemical investigation of genus Balanophora showed that the hydrolysable tannins are rich in species, particularly the ellagitannins. Structurally, cinnamic acid derivative tannins are the chemically-characterised constituents. It possesses a phenylacrylic acid derivative (e. g. caffeoyl, coumaroyl, feruloyl or cinnamoyl), which connected to the C(1) position of a glucosyl unit by O-glycosidic bond, and part of galloyl, caffeoyl and hexahydroxydiphenoyl (HHDP) are linked with
%U http://journal.chemistrycentral.com/content/6/1/79