常用辛香料的化学成分和药理活性研究进展

辛香料植物的应用历史悠久,遍布世界各地。除之于食品烹调的调味作用外,其药用价值也常为人们津津乐道。辛香料的化学成分十分复杂,现有研究显示其在抗氧化、抑菌、抗肿瘤及调节消化系统和心血管系统等方面均具有重要作用。针对目前国内外辛香料个体研究日益增多,而其化学成分和药理活性(尤其是其作用机制)的系统研究仍不多见的现状,该研究对近几年常用辛香料的化学成分和上述药理活性方面所涉及的系统研究成果和有代表性的个体作用机制研究成果进行综述,并从中归纳出具有药用前景的辛香料类化合物,如胡椒碱、姜黄素、京尼平苷、桂皮醛、桂皮酸、芳樟醇、甲基胡椒酚、紫苏醛、丁香酸和藏红花素等,为进一步地开发和利用该类植物提供依据。

Advances in research of chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of common used spices

Spices have enjoyed a long history and a worldwide application. Of particular interest is the pharmaceutical value of spices in addition to its basic seasoning function in cooking. Concretely, equipped with complex chemical compositions, spices are of significant importance in pharmacologic actions, like antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumor, as well as therapeutical effects in gastrointestinal disorders and cardiovascular disease. Although increasing evidences in support of its distinct role in the medical field has recently reported, little information is available for substantive, thorough and sophisticated researches on its chemical constituents and pharmacological activities, especially mechanism of these actions. Therefore, in popular wave of studies directed at a single spice, this review presents systematic studies on the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities associated with common used spices, together with current typical individual studies on functional mechanism, in order to pave the way for the exploitation and development of new medicines derived from the chemical compounds of spice(such as, piperine, curcumin, geniposide, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, linalool, estragole, perillaldehyde, syringic acid, crocin).