Chemical Constituents, Pharmacological Activities, and Cardiovascular Protective Mechanisms of Dendrobium Species: A Review

The genus Dendrobium, a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal herb, contains complex and diverse chemical constituents. The plant has been widely used in traditional medicine and has attracted increasing attention in modern pharmacological research due to its therapeutic potential. Bibliographic searches were conducted across various recognized databases. The exploration covered the years 1965–2025, and the connectors ‘and’ and ‘or’ were used with keywords such as “Dendrobium”, “phytochemistry”, “pharmacology”, “Cardiovascular diseases”, and “extracts”. The chemical composition of the genus Dendrobium mainly includes alkaloids, bibenzyls, flavonoids, phenanthrenes, phenylpropanoids, and terpenoids. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that the genus Dendrobium exhibits multiple biological effects, including anti-tumor, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and neuroprotective activities. Notably, the genus Dendrobium shows significant potential in cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment through mechanisms such as antioxidant stress, anti-inflammation, regulation of lipid metabolism, anti-atherosclerosis, and inhibition of myocardial fibrosis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the chemical components and pharmacological activities of Dendrobium plants, with emphasis on their cardiovascular protective effects. These findings offer a scientific basis for the further development and clinical application of Dendrobium medicinal resources.