Arctiin and arctigenin are lignans extracted from the dried and mature fruit of Arctium lappa, a biennial herb in the composite family. A small amount of Arctium lappa leaves also exist. Arctiin and arctigenin are the main active components extracted from arctiin, which have a wide range of pharmacological effects. Arctiin and its aglycones have antitumor and neuroprotective activities; Arctigenin also has strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities, anti-virus activities and inhibitory activities on heat shock response. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that arctiin has an obvious preventive and therapeutic effect on diabetes and its complications.

    Diabetic vascular complications are the most common and serious chronic complications in diabetic patients, such as atherosclerosis of large and medium arteries and microangiopathy (diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic cerebrovascular dysfunction, etc.), which are the main causes of posterior cervical dysfunction and death. The important characteristic of diabetes is hyperglycemia, which can not only cause metabolic disorders, but also cause vascular endothelial damage, increase cell death and cause vascular proliferation. Vascular endothelial cells cover all the inner walls of blood vessels. For this reason, the inner epidermis of blood vessels is smooth and keeps the blood flow unblocked. It is an integral part of the blood tissue barrier and can secrete active substances such as No. these active substances interact to maintain the relaxation and contraction of blood vessels and maintain the normal physiological function of vascular endothelial cells. Diabetic vascular complications, to a large extent, are caused by the damage or functional changes of vascular endothelial cells caused by hyperglycemia.

    Therefore, the search for protective agents for the treatment or prevention of diabetic vascular endothelial cell damage has become a hot spot in recent years. Modern pharmacological studies have proved that Fructus Arctii has the effects of anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anti HIV and inhibition of platelet aggregation. Arctium lappa L. is effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy. Pharmacological experiments have also proved that Fructus Arctii has the effect of lowering blood sugar and protein in urine.ArctiinIt is a lignan compound extracted from Arctium lappa L. and an important active component of Arctium lappa L. Arctiin can form arctiin under the action of catechol-O-methyltransferase in the digestive tract and liver.