Abstract: Paridis Rhizoma is a traditional Chinese medicine for clearing away heat and toxic materials. Polyphyllin, as the most important anti-tumor active ingredient of Paridis Rhizoma, contains more than 50 types of compounds, among which the ingredients with anti-tumor effects are polyphyllin I, II, VI, VII. It is effective in treating many types of tumor cancers, such as liver cancer, colon cancer, brain tumor, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. These ingredients are mostly isospirostanol saponins, dominated by polyphyllin I, followed by polyphyllin II, diosgenin, polyphyllin A, gracillin, polyphyllin VI, polyphyllin VII, polyphyllin H and polyphyllin E. In recent years, the anti-tumor effects of polyphyllin have been gradually discovered and applied in clinic, but the adverse effects of Paris saponins have also been reported, such as the toxic damage of polyphyllin I to the liver. In this paper, the saponin components in Paridis Rhizoma are classified while the latest progress in research on the anti-tumor mechanism of isospirostanol saponins is reviewed in order to summarize the active components and mechanism of action of the anti-tumor effect of Paris saponins and to provide reference for studies on anti-tumor effects of polyphyllin and the safety of medication.

Key words: Paridis Rhizoma, polyphyllin, antitumor, isospirostanol, active ingredient, mechanism