Cyclovirobuxine D: A full research chain review covering extraction, quantitative analysis, pharmacology, toxicology,...

Cyclovirobuxine D (CVB-D), a pregnane-type alkaloid isolated from plants of the genus Buxus, occurs as colorless needle crystals with poor aqueous solubility. Numerous studies have demonstrated its extensive pharmacological activities, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection, antitumour effects, hypoxia resistance, haemodynamic improvement, and alleviation of drug-induced side effects. This review systematically summarises available advances regarding CVB-D, covering extraction techniques, quantitative analytical methods, pharmacological effects and mechanisms, toxicology, formulation studies, pharmacokinetics, and clinical applications in a coherent manner. By comprehensively consolidating published findings, this work further pinpoints prominent research bottlenecks, such as immature total synthesis routes, inadequate adoption of novel analytical technologies, and insufficient in-depth mechanistic elucidation and clinical validation. Collectively, this overview is expected to lay a solid theoretical basis for further basic research and translational development of CVB-D.