Lophatherum gracile Brongn.: a review on phytochemistry, bioactivity and food applications

Lophatherum gracile Brongn. (L. gracile) is a traditional edible plant that contains abundant phytochemicals including phenolic compounds, polysaccharides and other substances, showing plentiful biological functions such as antioxidant, antiviral activities, and liver protection effects. Due to its various natural products and bioactivities, L. gracile is widely applied in food areas and traditional medicine. However, the current information on the composition, function and application of L. gracile is fragmented, which may limit its development and utilization, thus an overview of its recent studies is required to give a comprehensive insight into L. gracile. Herein, the advance in the phytochemical, bioactivity and food application of L. gracile was summarized, which may facilitate its further study and application.