Composition, Skin Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacological Effects of the Sanfu Herbal Patch

The Sanfu herbal patch (SHP) is a traditional Chinese medicine external therapy consisting of Sinapis semen, Asari Radix et Rhizoma, Kansui Radix, and Corydalis Rhizoma. The review involved searching for SHP-related keywords in various databases including Web of Science, PubMed, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, etc Relevant literature was then selected and findings were summarized. The SHP encompasses a diverse array of bioactive constituents, such as fatty acids, thioglycosides, essential oils, terpenes, alkaloids, and additional chemical compounds. The parent constituents of the SHP that enter skin circulation mainly include sinapine thiocyanate from Sinapis semen, asarinin from Asari Radix et Rhizoma, and tetrahydropalmatine from Corydalis Rhizoma. The SHP exhibits anti-inflammatory, antitussive, analgesic, and antitumor properties, making it a valuable pharmacological agent. Moreover, the SHP is frequently employed in clinical settings to address various ailments including asthma, rhinitis, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic degenerative joint disease, and chronic gastritis. This review focuses on the main components, skin pharmacokinetics, and pharmacological research progress of the SHP, offering valuable insights for further understanding its mechanism of action and enhancing its clinical application.