Advances in studies on toxicity and attenuation of triptolide

Triptolide is a diterpenoid isolated from Tripterygium wilfordii which has various functions including immunoregulation,anti-inflammation,antifertility,and anticancer.But its adverse effects are severe,which mainly associated with damages to the digestive,circulatory,urinary,reproductive,and immunologic systems.This review is about its common toxicities and mechanisms of these toxicities found in experimental animals,as well as methods of reducing the toxicity.