Phytochem Rev (2020) 19:491–526 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-020-09674-9 (0123456789().,-volV)( 0123456789().,-volV) Ethnopharmacologically important but underestimated genus Sorbus: a comprehensive review Agnieszka Sołtys . Agnieszka Galanty . Irma Podolak Received: 21 January 2020 / Accepted: 15 April 2020 / Published online: 28 April 2020 Ó The Author(s) 2020 Abstract Sorbus L. sensu lato (Rosaceae family) antidiabetic activity of Sorbus decora and anti- comprises over 250 trees and shrubs growing in the inflammatory activity of Sorbus commixta. Northern Hemisphere. Several Sorbus species have found their way into traditonal materia medica,as Keywords Sorbus Á Folk medicine Á different leaf, bark or fruit preparations have a long- Phytochemistry Á Biological activity standing folk use. Ethnomedicine recommends their use not only in respiratory and gastrointestinal system Abbreviations disorders, but also in rheumatism, cancer or diabetes. AAPH 2,20-Azobis-(2-amidinopropane) Chemical composition of the genus Sorbus has been dihydrochloride studied since 1960s and until now more than 250 ABTS 2,20-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothioazoline-6- compounds have been identified from thirty-eight sulphonic acid) diammonium salt species. The most thoroughly investigated substances ACE Angiotensin converting enzyme are phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic AChE Acetylcholinesterase acids). Other constituents include triterpenes, sterols, ADH Alcohol dehydrogenase carboxylic acids, coumarins and cyanogenic glyco- ALT Alanine aminotransferase sides. Biological activity studies performed on the AMPK Adenosine-monophosphate-activated representatives of the genus Sorbus have been pre- protein kinase dominantly conducted on extracts prepared with the AST Aspartate transaminase use of different solvents, and more rarely on isolated ATO Arsenic trioxide constituents. The majority of these studies were BChE Butyrylcholinesterase devoted to determination of antioxidant potential of CAT Catalase Sorbus extracts. In a few cases targeted studies were CD Conjugated dienes conducted to confirm specific folk usage. Two of the cGMP Guanosine 30,50-cyclic monophosphate fairly well documented medicinal uses are the COX-2 Cyclooxygenase-2 CYP Cytochrome P450 DMPD? N,N-Dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine 0 A. Sołtys (&) Á A. Galanty Á I. Podolak DPPH 2,2 -Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy dw Dry weight Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Medyczna 9, ecNOS Endothelial cell NO synthase 30-688 Krako´w, Poland EDTA Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid e-mail: [email protected] 123 492 Phytochem Rev (2020) 19:491–526 ELISA Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay Introduction ET-1 Endothelin-1 FRAP Ferric reducing antioxidant power Sorbus L. sensu lato (Rosaceae family) comprises over fw Fresh weight 250 trees and shrubs native to eastern Asia and GAE Gallic acid equivalents distributed in the Northern Hemisphere (Aldasoro GSH Glutathione et al. 1998). Genus Sorbus is characterized by HOMA Homeostasis model assessment significant diversity what inflicts taxonomic difficul- ICAM-1 Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ties. Recent studies provide data on its polyphyletic IL-1b Interleukin-1b nature. Interspecific hybridization, apomixis and poly- IL-6 Interleukin-6 ploidy, which have contributed to diversification i.g. Intragastric process, seem to play a crucial role in plant evolution iNOS Inducible NO synthase (Dickinson et al. 2007; Li et al. 2017). Nevertheless, LPS Lipopolysaccharide the genus Sorbus is currently usually divided into six MAPK Mitogen-activated protein kinase subgroups: Chamaemespilus Medikus, Torminalis MCP-1 Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 Medikus, Aria (Pers.) Host, Micromeles Decaisne, MDA Malondialdehyde Cormus Spach and Sorbus sensu stricto (Li et al. MMP-1 Matrix metalloproteinase-1 2017). All simple-leaved species are included into the MMP-2 Matrix metalloproteinase-2 first four subgroups, whereas the two latter comprise MMP-3 Matrix metalloproteinase-3 the pinnate-leaved species (Sun et al. 2018). The MMPs Matrix metalloproteinases complicated relationships between Sorbus species are MPP? 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion the subject of many current studies in the field of MTT Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium molecular biology. The Sorbus sensu stricto (88 bromide species) is one of the most profoundly analyzed. NBT Nitroblue tetrazolium Recent findings confirmed the existence of two major NF-jB Nuclear factor-jB lineages, namely core Sorbus and Albo-carmesinae, NGF Nerve growth factor which correspond to morphological characters such as NO Nitric oxide i.a. fruit color. As confirmed by phylogenetic ana- NOS Nitric oxide synthase lyzes, the core Sorbus includes two clades (Aucu- pariae and Commixtae), whereas Albo-carmesinae PGE2 Prostaglandin E2 p.o. Per os comprises three clades (Tianshanicae, Discolores, PTP1B Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B Multijugae) (Li et al. 2017). The greatest diversity of ROS Reactive oxygen species Sorbus in Europe is seen in Britain, where in the area SOD Superoxide dismutase of Avon Gorge, among fifteen native taxa, three SPE Solid phase extraction endemic species and four novel hybrids have been SRB Sulforhodamine B reported (Robertson et al. 2010). This interesting TBARS Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances problem of the diversity and relationship network TEAC Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity between different Sorbus species has been exhaus- TNF-a Tumor necrosis factor-a tively discussed in a number of surveys (Chester et al. UVA Ultraviolet A 2007; Robertson et al. 2010; Pellicer et al. 2012; UVB Ultraviolet B Hamston et al. 2018). It is also noteworthy that the VCAM-1 Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 European phylogenetic checklist of Sorbus s.l. has been recently published (Sennikov and Kurtto 2017). Sorbus species are often cultivated for ornamental purposes mainly because of the colored fruits. The berries are consumed worldwide, as raw or processed into preserves and beverages. Moreover, various parts of these valuable plants have been used as remedies for healing common ailments. Traditional medicine rec- ommends their use not only in respiratory and 123 Phytochem Rev (2020) 19:491–526 493 gastrointestinal system disorders, but also in rheuma- Asia tism, cancer or diabetes. However, not all declared therapeutic properties seemed to be confirmed by S. cashmiriana is a tree found in Kashmir and the recent phytochemical and biological studies. western Himalayas, where its bark is used in folk Despite a large number of literature reports dedi- medicine to treat nausea and heart diseases. The cated to phytochemistry and biological activity of berries of this plant are a remedy for scurvy (Khan various Sorbus species to date, to the best of our et al. 2015). Another Asian species—S. commixta— knowledge there is only one published review, which mainly distributed in Korea, Japan and China has also is available in Polish (Olczyk and Geszprych 2017). a long-standing folk use. Its bark is applied in Thus, this paper is not accessible to a wider group of bronchitis, asthma or cough (Sohn et al. 2005b), fruits readers. Moreover, it is primarily focused on practical are used as gargle for throat infections or as a laxative and nutritional value of Sorbus representatives. Even (Lee et al. 2017) whereas stem bark is an anti- though chemical composition and biological activity atherosclerosis and expectorant agent (Yin et al. is addressed as well, the authors had not assembled all 2005). Moreover, during analysis of ethnomedicinal existing data, citing only twenty-five papers devoted to practices of local communities in southern Korea, it phytochemical and/or biological studies on Sorbus was revealed that leaves, stem and fruits of S. com- species. Hence, the aim of this work was to provide the mixta are traditionally used as a decoction or tea in first comprehensive overview of the genus Sorbus in liver disorders (Kim and Song 2013). People of North English, in which information on ethnobotanical, Jeolla Province (Korea) recommend its stem decoc- phytochemical and biological studies is summarized. tion in asthma and pulmonary tuberculosis. Fruits are indicated in cough and common cold (Kim and Song 2012). Apart from S. commixta, the bark of another Methods species growing in Korea, namely S. amurensis is also used in this region as an expectorant (Kang et al. The search of scientific literature was performed in 2003). In China, two species have been valued as various databases including Google scholar, PubMed, medicinal agents especially in the disorders of the Scopus and Embase—using ,,Sorbus’’ as the key word. respiratory tract. S. tianschanica is a traditional All articles published in English to date (September medicine in the treatment of asthma, dyspnea, ven- 2019) were collected. Those that did not concern tricular myocytes and gastritis (Ayupbek et al. 2012). phytochemistry, biological activity and/or ethnophar- Another species which is found growing wild in macology of Sorbus species were rejected. The Northern China—S. pohuashanensis—is recom- chemical structures of the phytoconstituents were mended in chronic tracheitis, edema and pulmonary searched in PubChem database and ChemDraw 19.0 tuberculosis (Li et al. 2014). was used to redraw selected structures. Europe Ethnopharmacological studies Four species typical of Europe have found their way Medicinal use into traditonal materia medica. One of them is S. domestica, with a well documented traditional