Abstract

Objectives: Shaoyao Gancao decoction (SGD) is a famous Ancient Classical Prescription (ACP) from "Treatise on febrle Diseases. lt haspeen clinicaly used for spasm- and pain-related disorders induced byinsufticiency of 0i and blood and malnutrition of tendons and vessels fothousands of years. To expand comprehensive understanding and to highlight the importance of more efective utlzation, this study aimed toprovide a comprehensive review of SGD covering multiple research fields.

Methods: Some databases, including PubMved, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge infrastructure, were used tocollect the related information with "Shaoyao Gancao decoction" and similar ones as the keywords.Key findings: Phytochemical researches revealed that flavonoids and monoterpenoids were the predominant components in SGD. lt wasdocumented that SGD had demonstrated a variety of effects, such as analaesic and anttinflammatory activity. neuroprotection. antispasmodic activity, gastrointestinal protection, hepatoprotection, antiasthma activity, and effects on gynecological diseases. As for its toxicologypseudoaldosteronism occasionally occurred and 18B-glycyrrhetyl-3-0-sulfate was believed to be a causative agent.

Conclusions; As a whole. many valuable achievements have been made. exhilbiting areat atraction and potential of SGD as a famous ACp Thisreview is also expected to facilitate SGD application and researchin the future

Keywords: Shaoyao Gancao decoction; chemical composition; pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology