Objective: To deal with the correlation between phylogeny, chemical constituents and pharmaceutical aspects of Ranunculaceae, namely a pharmaphylogenic study of this taxon.
Method: Based on chemical, pharmaceutical (both ethnopharmacologic and pharmacological) information, linking with different plant systems of Ranunculaceae.
Result: Chemical constituents of this taxon included several natural groups: benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, ranunculin, triterpenoid glycoside and diterpene alkaloid etc. Ranunculin and magoflorine were found to present simultaneously in some plants of this taxon.
Conclusion: Combining with therapeutic information, pharmaphylogenic research were in accordance with the phylogenetic system presented by Tamura that Ranunculaceae was proposed to be divided into six sub-families: Helleboroideae, Ranunculoideae, Cimicfugoideae, Isopyroideae, Thalictroideae and Coptidoideae. Results also supported the establishment of Cimicifugoideae.