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Research progress on preparation, structure, activities and application of selenium-containing Astragalus polysaccharides

CHEN Fangyuan, YAO Jinlong, WANG Pan, WANG Jilong

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(1): 345-354.

Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) are the principal bioactive constituents of Huangqi (Astragali Radix), exhibiting diverse pharmacological activities. However, their clinical application is limited by challenges including high molecular weight, low solubility, and consequently poor bioavailability. Selenization modification has emerged as an effective strategy to improve the physicochemical properties and biological functions of APS, leading to the formation of selenized APS (Se-APS) and APS-selenium nanoparticles (APS-SeNPs). This review systematically summarizes the preparation methods, structural characteristics, biological activities, and structure-activity relationships of selenium-containing APS derivatives, and discusses their application prospects. Primary preparation techniques include biological transformation and chemical synthesis approaches. Following selenization, the resulting products demonstrate significantly improved solubility, stability, and bioavailability, and can form uniformly sized nanoparticles. Research indicates that selenium-containing APS derivatives exhibit superior pharmacological efficacy compared to native APS, including enhanced antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antitumor, and hepatoprotective activities. Furthermore, APS-SeNPs can serve as effective drug delivery carriers and show synergistic effects when combined with other bioactive compounds. Structure-activity relationship studies suggest that their bioactivity is closely associated with selenium content, molecular weight, and nanostructural attributes. Nevertheless, several challenges remain in this field, such as insufficient characterization of selenization sites and a lack of systematic toxicological evaluation. Future research should focus on optimizing preparation processes, strengthening safety assessments, and promoting clinical translation to advance their applications in the pharmaceutical and functional food industries.
Research progress on rehmannioside D in Rehmanniae Radix: Determination methods, content variation principles, and pharmacological actions

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(1): 355-363.

Rehmannioside D is an indicator component of Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix), a traditional Chinese medicine that shares the same origin in both medicine and food. Rehmannioside D, a natural iridoid glycoside, exhibits a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, including nourishing yin and blood, cooling blood and stopping bleeding, providing analgesia, acting as an antidepressant, and preventing osteoporosis, thereby meriting intensified investigation. This paper systematically reviews the recent advances in rehmannioside D research, detailing the optimization of determination methods and the application of new technologies for rehmannioside D, as well as the content determination in different dosage forms. The principles of content variation in different producing areas, processing methods, and tissues of Rehmanniae Radix are summarized. Furthermore, it focuses on elucidating the pharmacological effects of rehmannioside D in the endocrine and cardiovascular systems, nervous system, and other aspects. In addition, this paper critically discusses the existing challenges in its research. The aim is to provide a scientific basis for the further development and clinical application of rehmannioside D, as well as the quality identification and comprehensive utilization of Rehmanniae Radix.
Research advances in transmembrane transport mechanisms and efficacy-enhancing strategies for active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(1): 364-374.

Transmembrane transport, as a core process in drug absorption, distribution, and metabolism, directly determines the bioavailability and target tissue distribution of active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It is a key limiting factor for their systemic exposure and exertion of drug efficacy. The structural diversity and complex mechanisms of TCM components generally lead to low oral bioavailability, which severely restricts their full clinical therapeutic effects and has become a bottleneck in the development of modern TCM formulations. This article systematically reviews the transmembrane transport mechanisms of major active ingredients in TCM, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, polysaccharides, and organic acids, with a focus on elucidating their structure-transport relationships and the complex regulatory networks involving various transport proteins (e.g., P-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance-associated proteins, organic anion transporting polypeptides, etc.). Given that traditional research has long focused on qualitative and quantitative analysis of components while relatively neglecting the exploration of transmembrane transport mechanisms, hindering mechanism-guided formulation design and optimization. This review further delves into novel enhancement strategies based on transport mechanisms. These include advanced delivery systems, structural modification, efflux protein inhibition, gut microbiota-mediated metabolic enhancement, and synergistic compatibility of TCM ingredients. The aim is to overcome the in vivo delivery barriers of active TCM components, improve the bioavailability of TCM formulations, and ultimately provide insights for achieving precise clinical medication.
Research progress on relationship between soil health and growth and quality formation of medicinal plants

LIU Xinyu, LI Wanyun, CHEN Caixia, HE Xueli, HE Chao, LI Xianen

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(1): 375-389.

The health status of soil environment directly determines the quality of medicinal plants. Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties are key indicators for evaluating soil health. Their individual or synergistic effects exert profound influences on the growth and development, nutrient absorption and metabolism, as well as bioactive component accumulation of medicinal plants. By clarifying the connotation of soil health, this paper focuses on the impacts of soil health indicators (soil physical, chemical, and biological properties) on the quality development of medicinal plants. It systematically reviews the response mechanisms of medicinal plants in terms of morphology, physiology, biochemistry, and bioactive component accumulation under different soil conditions, and expounds the comprehensive effects of the interactions among soil health indicators on the quality formation of medicinal plants. The purpose is to summarize the interaction mechanism between soil environment and medicinal plants for the growth and quality improvement of Chinese medicinal materials, so as to provide a solid theoretical basis for optimizing the cultivation environment of medicinal plants and promoting the technical application of increasing their yield and quality.

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