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Hypericin in hypericum: chemistry, botanical sources and biological activities

Linfang Huang, Shilin Chen*   

  1. Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
  • Received:2012-05-16 Revised:2012-07-25 Online:2012-09-15 Published:2012-09-15
  • Contact: Shilin Chen*

Abstract:

Hypericin, a secondary metabolite first reported in 1830, is a natural photosensitizing naphtodianthrone and is mainly from the natural plant sources of genus Hypericum. Hypericin exhibits a wide variety of biological and pharmacological activities, such as antiviral, antidepressant, antitumor, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activity. Hypericin can also be utilized in photodynamic diagnosis. Accumulating evidence is pointing to the effects of hypericin with potential pharmaceutical and clinical interests in the past decades. The present review gives a comprehensive outline of the chemistry, botanical occurrence and biological activities of this powerful compound.

Key words: Hypericin, Botanical sources, Chemistry, Biological activities

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