Research progress in the phytochemistry and biology of Ilex pharmaceutical resources

Ilex is a botanical source for various health-promoting and pharmaceutically active compounds that have been used in traditional Chinese medicine and food for thousands of years. Increasing interest in Ilex pharmaceutical and food resources has led to additional discoveries of terpenoids, saponins, polyphenols (especially flavonoids), glycosides, and many other compounds in various Ilex species, and to investigation of their chemotaxonomy, molecular phylogeny and pharmacology. In continuation of our studies on Ilex pharmacology and phylogeny, we review the phytochemistry, chemotaxonomy, molecular biology and phylogeny of Ilex species and their relevance to health-promotion and therapeutic efficacy. The similarity and dissimilarity between Ilex paraguariensis, the source plant of mate tea, and the source plants of large-leaved Kudingcha (e.g., Ilex kudingcha and Ilex latifolia) are discussed. It is essential to utilize emerging technologies in non-Camellia tea studies to promote the sustainable utilization of Ilex resources and the identification and development of novel compounds with potential health and clinical utility. Systems biology and "-omics" technologies will play an increasingly important role in pharmaceutical and food research on the bioactive compounds of Ilex species. (C) 2013 Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Chinese Pharmaceutical Association. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.