Phytochemistry and medicinal values of Mahonia bealei: A review

Purpose: To review the medicinal uses of Mahonia bealei, an important member of the genus Mahonia, with a focus on its various applications in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as published scientific evidence on its effectiveness. Methods: Information in all available literature was retrieved using different search engines including NCBI, ISI Web of Knowledge and Google. Results: Several compounds have been extracted from M. bealei. These include alkaloids, triterpenes, flavonoids, phytosterols and lignans. Traditionally, the plant is used to treat dysentery, diarrhea and inflammation. Globally, scientists have used in vitro and in vivo techniques to evaluate the usefulness of compounds extracted from M. bealei with respect to their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant as well as anti-gastrin properties. Conclusion: Different parts of this plant still remain underexplored. Moreover, comparison of the properties of the isolated compounds has not been carried out, nor are there reports on the synergistic effects of extracts of the plant. Therefore, future research to address these areas may be useful in the discovery of new therapeutic agents.