Phytochemicals and biological activities of Dipsacus species.

The plants of genus Dipsacus, with a wide distribution in Europe, Asia, and Africa, have been used as medicinal agents to treat several diseases, including lime disease, fibromyalgia, bone fracture, and abortion, and especially the Alzheimer's disease and cancer. A large number of studies on plants of genus Dipsacus has revealed cytoprotective properties, inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, antinociceptive, and antimicrobial effects, etc. This review compiles all chemical constituents isolated, mainly triterpenoids, iridoids, phenolics, and alkaloids, from the genus Dipsacus over the past few decades together with their structural features, biological activities, and structure-activity relationships.