中药皂苷的植物雌激素样作用

Phytoestrogen-like effects of herbal saponins

植物雌激素是指具有类似动物雌激素结构或活性的植物成分,其对健康的重要作用受到广泛关注,中药含有多种成分具有植物雌激素作用。皂苷是一类重要的天然产物,具有抗肿瘤、抗氧化、抗炎和免疫调节、抗骨质疏松、抗病毒、心血管保护、神经保护、延缓衰老、调节糖脂代谢等作用,临床上对于子宫内膜异位症、乳腺癌、前列腺癌、骨质疏松、心血管疾病等激素相关疾病具有重要应用价值,进一步阐发皂苷的植物雌激素样作用具有重要理论意义和实践价值。

Phytoestrogens （PEs） are defined as the plant compounds with structures or activities similarly to estrogen. Benefits of PEs to human health get universal attentions. Multifarious herbal components play the roles as phy toestrogen. Saponins, important natural products, exhibit remarkable pharmacological effects including antitumor, antioxidant, antiinflam mation, immunoregulation, antiosteoporosis, antivirus, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, antiaging and regulation of glucose andlipid metabolism. Saponins are clinically valuable for applications in hormonerelated diseases like endometriosis, breast cancer, prostate cancer, osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases. It is theoretically and practically significant to further elucidate phytoestrogenlike effects of saponins.