Advances in Research on Dioscorea nipponica Makino: Chemical Constituents, Biological Activities and Developmental Prospects.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Dioscorea nipponica Makino is a traditional medicinal plant widely used in East Asia for the treatment of rheumatic disorders, inflammatory diseases, and cardiovascular conditions. Its rhizome has long been applied in clinical practice for relieving pain, promoting blood circulation, and reducing swelling.

AIM OF THE STUDY: This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive and critical overview of the phytochemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and underlying mechanisms of D. nipponica and to identify current research gaps and future perspectives.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The literature was searched in PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, CNKI and Wanfang Data from database inception to December 2025. The combined retrieval keywords were set as: (Dioscorea nipponica Makino OR Chuanshanlong) AND (chemical constituents OR steroidal saponins OR flavonoids OR phenols) AND (biological activity OR anti-inflammatory OR cardioprotective OR hepatotoxicity OR clinical application). Both English and Chinese publications were retrieved, and studies written in other languages were excluded.

RESULTS

Phytochemical studies have identified diverse secondary metabolites, particularly steroidal saponins, along with diarylheptanoids and phenanthrenes. These compounds exhibit multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, immunomodulatory, and cardioprotective effects. Mechanistic studies indicate that these activities are mediated through the modulation of key signaling pathways such as NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, AMPK, and the NLRP3 inflammasome. However, current research remains fragmented, with limited integration of chemical composition, molecular targets, and therapeutic outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

D. nipponica represents a promising source of bioactive natural products, with steroidal saponins as the major contributors to its pharmacological effects. Future studies should focus on multi-component interactions, pharmacokinetics, quality control, and clinical validation to support its rational development and sustainable utilization.