Overview of traditional uses, chemical composition and biological activity of meadow rue (Thalictrum minus L.)

Abstract

Meadow rue (Thalictrum minus L., Ranunculaceae) is a herbaceous perennial widely distributed across temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa. In Serbian folk medicine, the aerial parts of this species are used for liver-related disorders, including jaundice and other conditions traditionally associated with impaired liver function. The genus Thalictrum has a long history of traditional use in several countries, especially Russia, Japan, and China, where its best-known indication is jaundice. The aim of this study was to review the available ethnobotanical, pharmacological, and phytochemical literature on T. minus. The methodology involved a literature search of the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases covering the period from 2016 to 2025, focusing on studies related to the ethnobotanical use, phytochemical composition and biological activity of T. minus. Thalictrum minus has a limited but expanding recent evidences, with at least three directly relevant studies published between 2016 and 2025, plus one major genus-level review article. The available evidence shows that T. minus possesses antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and preliminary antiproliferative activities, which is broadly consistent with its traditional use for infectious and inflammatory conditions. Overall, the findings suggest that T. minus is still an insufficiently characterised plant, while the available data support future studies focused on phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological investigations to better assess its therapeutic potential in modern phytotherapy.