本文回顧絞股藍近年來的藥理學研究與臨床應用，該植物現代可分離到80多餘種皀甘，其中含有人參皀甘Rb1、Rb3、Rd、F2、Rg3、和K等成份，故有南方人參之稱。依傳統本草的記載，絞股藍性味苦寒，有清熱解毒，止咳袪痰的功效，現代藥理學研究，絞股藍具有多種生理活性，有降血脂、抗血栓、抗氧化、抗血小板聚集、保肝作用、抗癌和提升免疫等作用。臨床常用於治療高脂血症、慢性萎縮性胃炎、慢性B型肝炎症、延緩衰老、抗腫瘤方面和治療放療、化療引起的白血球減少症。因此絞股藍具有更深入研究的學術價值。

The present paper was summarized on pharmacology and clinic application in recent years. The plant was isolated over eighty saponins from leaves of Gynostemma pentaphyllum. The saponins are called name Gypenosides. Among of them contained the structure formulas of ginsenosides Rbl、Rb3、Rd、F2、Rg3 and K, so that the Gynostemma pentaphyllum was called the South Ginseng. The advanced pharmacological studies demonstrated that the Gynostemma pentaphyllum has an effect of anti-thrombotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, anti-platelet aggregation, liver-protective, immunoregulator, anti-cancer and reduced serum of lipids. The clinic application of the plant was used to treat hyperlipemia, chronic atrophy gastritis, chronic B liver inflammation, aging, tumor, and reduced side effects after chemotherapy or radiotherapy on cancer. The present review suggests that the Gynostemma pentaphyllum is worthy further research.