Research, Development and Pharmacological Activity of Sinomenine and Its Derivatives

In this manuscript, the resource distribution, pharmacological activity, pharmacokinetics of sinomenine and the structure, synthesis, biological activity and mechanism of sinomenine derivatives reported from 2000 to December 2023 were reviewed. The literature was retrieved through Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, SciFiner Scholar and other websites. Sinomenine belongs to isoquinoline alkaloids and was extracted from the Chinese herb S. acutum root. In Asian countries such as China and Japan, it is commonly prescribed as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, sinomenine also has sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, neuroprotective, anti-drug dependence, anti-tumor and other biological activities. Sinomenine limited its application prospects because of its large dosage, poor epidermal permeability and short half-life. To overcome these defects, new sinomenine derivatives have been synthesized. Based on the comprehensive analysis of relevant literature at home and abroad, this paper reviews the recent progress in the study of sinomenine's pharmacological effects and structural modifications. Future research on sinomenine will focus on improving its therapeutic effect, and developing new drug preparations and structural modifications. It is hoped that this review will help to better understand the research progress of sinomenine and provide constructive suggestions for further research of sinomenine.