Abstract: Isopentenyl flavonoids are a class of characteristic components in Sophora flavescens Ait. (S. flavescens). They have biological activities such as anti-tumor, anti-bacteria, anti-inflammol/Lation and anti-oxidation. In this paper, the structural types, toxicology and pharmacological effects of isopentenyl flavonoids from S. flavescens were briefly reviewed. Furthermore, the worth of further study on pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicology, action targets, molecular mechanisms and structure-function relationships of isopentenyl flavonoids were proposed. The deep exploration on functional characterastics of isopentenyl flavonoids of S. flavescens and their application on development of innovative drugs are of great significance to further improve the added value of isopentenyl flavonoids and expand their application fields.

Key words: Sophora flavecens, Isopentenyl flavonoids, Chemical constituents, Bioactivity