Traditional Chinese Herbal Plant <i>Penthorum chinense</i> Pursh: Health Factors and Its Future Development

ABSTRACT With the increasing demand for the quality of new foods, the research on new food raw materials has gradually become a trend in China. Penthorum chinense Pursh, as a novel food raw material, has a long history of medicinal use and is a traditional medicine for protecting the liver. PCP was approved as a new food raw material, and its use has been expanded in food and beverage products with strong development and application prospects. However, the research on the active ingredients and pharmacological mechanisms of PCP is still in its infancy. This review expounds on the species, morphological characteristics, and distribution areas of PCP, summarizes the active ingredients, mainly including flavonoids in PCP and their extraction methods. It also pays particular attention to the pharmacological effects of PCP, such as liver protection, antioxidation, anti‐inflammation, antibacterial activity, and blood sugar reduction, and their action mechanisms. In addition, the application and development prospects of PCP in the process of food processing and medicine production are further summarized. However, this raw material still faces challenges in terms of variety breeding, in‐depth product development, and the clarification of the mechanisms of its active ingredients, while its safety evaluation system also requires further improvement and enhancement. The aim is to provide suggestions for the development of PCP in various industries.