Senecio scandens Buch. - Ham.: A comprehensive review of botany, phytochemistry, biological activity, toxicity, quality control, application, and practical domain.

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• Effect Size: Not quantified - narrative synthesis only

• Primary Outcome: Identification of over 200 chemical constituents primarily flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: Not calculated - review identifies biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects

• Confidence Interval: Not provided

Clinical Application

Limited by hepatorenal toxicity concerns from pyrrolizidine alkaloids requiring careful dosing and monitoring Not directly applicable - S. scandens not commonly used in Australian clinical practice, would require TGA evaluation for therapeutic use, no current PBS listing Patients with ocular diseases and dermatological conditions, though specific populations not well-defined

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Senecio scandens Buch.-Ham., a medicinal herb from the Asteraceae family, contains flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids as its primary bioactive compounds. It is commonly used in the treatment of ocular diseases and dermatological conditions. However, with its expanding applications across various fields, growing attention has been directed toward the potential safety concerns associated with its use. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This article systematically reviews existing literature on S. scandens, examining its botany, phytochemistry, biological activity, toxicity, applications, and development utilization, to provide a theoretical basis for in-depth exploration of its pharmacological mechanisms and resource development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study conducted a systematic review of literature on S. scandens published from 1972 to 2025, based on databases including PubMed and Web of Science. Plants names are provided in accordance with "The Plant List" (https://wfoplantlist.org/). RESULT: Over 200 chemical constituents, primarily flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids, have been isolated and identified from S. scandens, endowing it with diverse biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects. To address potential hepatorenal toxicity from its pyrrolizidine alkaloids, relevant safety guidelines have been gradually established alongside various clinical dosage forms. It is also widely used in fields including medicine, animal husbandry, agriculture, and cosmetics. CONCLUSION: By systematically reviewing the botany, phytochemistry, biological activity, toxicity, application, and development and utilization of S. scandens, this paper identifies key utilization obstacles, proposes future research directions, and provides a theoretical framework for its further development.

References

1. 1.Wang, X., Wang, P., Wang, Z., Ma, J., Song, S., Kong, L., Zhang, X., Ma, W., & Liu, X. (2026). Senecio scandens Buch. - Ham.: A comprehensive review of botany, phytochemistry, biological activity, toxicity, quality control, application, and practical domain. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 121303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2026.121303