Steroidal Saponins from the Genus Smilax and Their Biological Activities

The genus Smilax (Liliaceae family) comprises about 300 species of climbing shrubs. Plants of the genus are widely distributed in tropical region of the world, and also found in warm areas of East Asia and North America [ 1 ]. The juvenile leaves of S. riparia are used as vegetable product. The rhizomes of S. glabra are used in Southeast of China as food supplementary for health. Noteworthily, the rhizomes of Smilax species are most famous for their medical use. The rhizomes of S. china and S. glabra , called “Jin Gang Teng” and “Tu Fu Lin” in Pharmacopoeia of People’s Republic of China respectively, are clinically used to treat chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, rheumatic arthritis and so on [ 2 ]. The rhizomes of S. riparia , S. nipponica , S. bockii , S. microphylla , and S. discotis were recorded in the Chinese Herbal Medicines to treat joint pain, edema, and rheumatoid arthritis [ 3 ].