Review on the Botany, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activities, and Quality Control of Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq

Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq., a traditional Chinese medicine belonging to the Lamiaceae family, has a history of medicinal use spanning thousands of years in East Asian countries. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the plant’s botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and quality control, thereby exploring its future therapeutic and scientific potential. A total of 150 compounds have been reported in S. tenuifolia, including essential oil, flavonoids, organic acids, polysaccharides, and other constituents. Studies have shown that S. tenuifolia extracts and their bioactive components exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, antitumor, immunomodulatory, hemostatic, antidepressant, and anti-allergic effects. Furthermore, evaluating the quality of S. tenuifolia is crucial for ensuring the stability of its bioactive components and overall clinical efficacy. These findings underscore the significant development potential of S. tenuifolia as a medicinal and edible plant. However, further studies in animal and human models are needed to evaluate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying its biological activities and to confirm its clinical efficacy. To ensure a transparent and reproducible literature search, a comprehensive search on S. tenuifolia was conducted using scientific databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, CNKI, Elsevier, and SpringerLink, alongside classical texts, official pharmacopoeias, floras, and doctoral and master’s theses. The search was performed using keyword combinations such as “Schizonepeta tenuifolia”, “Schizonepetae Herba”, “phytochemistry”, “pharmacological activities”, and “quality control”, covering records from inception to August 2026. Studies were selected based on their relevance to the botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and quality control of S. tenuifolia. After removing duplicates and screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, a total of 105 eligible studies were included in this review.