Research Progress on the Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activity of Litsea cubeba (Lour) Pers

Litsea cubeba, a deciduous shrub belonging to the Lauraceae family, has a variety of medicinal properties, and its fruit, leaves, roots, and bark are used for treating conditions such as spleen-stomach deficiency, dysphagia, and unidentified tumors. The main chemical components of Litsea cubeba are alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans, terpenes, and their glycosides, with aporphine alkaloids being the most characteristic. Recent studies have demonstrated that Litsea cubeba has a wide variety of pharmacological activities, including antitumor, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic effects. This article summarizes the chemical composition and pharmacological activities of Litsea cubeba and explores their mechanisms of action, providing a reference for the development and utilization of the Litsea cubeba chemical components.