Traditional Uses and Phytochemical and Pharmacological Analyses of Caesalpinia sappan Linn

The heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan Linn. (Sappan Lignum) has been traditionally utilized as an herbal drug in China for treating several diseases, including osteoporosis and wounds. This review presents a systematic summary of botanical, pharmacological, phytochemical, and pharmacokinetic characteristics; traditional applications; and safety profile of C. sappan to highlight requirements for conducting further studies on this plant and to report its potential uses. We conducted a literature search of relevant articles on C. sappan published in several databases. Additional information was collected from peer-reviewed academic journals, doctoral dissertations, master's theses, and Chinese herbal medicine books. We confirmed plant taxonomy by searching The Plant List database (http://www.theplantlist.org). According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) literature, Sappan Lignum promotes blood circulation by eliminating blood stasis, induces detumescence, and provides pain relief. A total of 127 active components were identified and isolated from C. sappan; these include terpenoids, flavonoids, quinones, phenols, steroids, and alkaloids, showing protective effects against inflammation and carcinogenesis of cardio-cerebrovascular, hepatic, and renal systems. According to recent pharmacological studies, C. sappan has several pharmacological applications for treating cancer, inflammation, and cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Most activities of C. sappan could be attributed to flavonoids; however, there is limited information regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms, metabolic activities, structure-function relationships, and toxicology of the bioactive substances of C. sappan. Additional extensive investigations are required to analyze the medicinal properties of C. sappan.