# From Traditional Medicinal Plant to Modern Pharmacotherapy: A Comprehensive Review of the Bioactive Compounds and Health Applications of Eucommia ulmoides

## TL;DR

This paper reviews the medicinal and health benefits of Eucommia ulmoides, a traditional Chinese plant, and suggests ways to better utilize its various parts for modern applications.

## Contribution

The paper systematically summarizes the chemical composition and health benefits of multiple parts of E. ulmoides for high-value utilization.

## Key findings

- E. ulmoides contains bioactive compounds like lignans and flavonoids with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
- The plant's bark, leaves, flowers, and seeds show potential for use in health foods and natural medicines.
- Future research should focus on synergistic mechanisms and standardized quality evaluation systems for broader applications.

## Abstract

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. (E. ulmoides), an endemic tree species in China, holds significant value in traditional Chinese medicine industry and health food. The plant is rich in diverse bioactive compounds, including lignans, iridoids, flavonoids, polysaccharides, E. ulmoides gum, amino acids, and minerals. These components contribute to a range of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihypertensive, immunomodulatory, and bone-protective effects, which support its long-standing traditional use and emerging clinical and adjunctive applications. While current research has predominantly focused on the bark and leaves, other parts, such as flowers, seeds, stems and roots, remain underexplored despite their substantial potential for medicinal and edible applications. Based on the recent literature, this paper systematically summarized the chemical composition, health benefits, and comprehensive utilization of different parts of E. ulmoides (bark, leaves, flowers, and seeds), aiming to provide a theoretical foundation for the high-value utilization of the entire plant resources of E. ulmoides. As a health-promoting plant resource, E. ulmoides has extensive development potential in applications such as health foods, natural medicines, and agricultural inputs. Future research should prioritize elucidating the synergistic mechanisms among different active compounds, advancing technologies for multi-part utilization, and establishing standardized quality evaluation systems to facilitate broader applications in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and related interdisciplinary fields.