Research progress of agricultural bioactivities and structural modifications of matrine and its analogues

Matrine and its analogues are a kind of alkaloids isolated from Sophora flavescens and Sophora alopecuroides. They have exhibited a broad scope of medical (e.g., anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities) and agricultural properties (e.g., insecticidal, acaricidal and antifungal activities). Firstly, advances on the agricultural bioactivities of matrine and its analogues in recent ten years have been reviewed. Then structural modifications of matrine and its analogues in recent four years have been summarized. We hope that it will pave a way for future development and application of matrine and its analogues.