[Advances in studies on Platycodon grandiflorum].

Platycodon grandiflorum, as the traditional Chinese medicine, has been employed for dispersing the lung and resolving phlegm soothing the throat, and promoting pus discharge in ancient days. Triterpenoids are its main effective constituents which have dominant activities on antitussive, expectorant, antitumor, antioxidant and immune enhancement. This paper has mainly reviewed the progress of P. grandiflorum on the processing in planting area, chemical constituents, quality standard, pharmacological effects and clinical application in recent ten years, which has provided the important references for its further study, exploitation and application.