Research progress on chemical constituents and biological activities of medicinal plants from Euonymus genus

Many plants of Euonymus genus possess high medicinal value. Most of them have the effects of dispelling wind and dampness, relaxing tendons and activating collaterals. The chemical compositions and structural types in Euonymus genus are diverse, including sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and so on. Modern pharmacological studies show that plants of Euonymus genus and many compounds from them have various biological activities, including antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, antioxidative, antitumor and other effects. This paper summarises the new progress on the chemical components isolated from medicinal plants of Euonymus genus and their biological activities, providing a reference for the in-deep development and utilisation of plants in this genus.