Abstract: Fagopyrins was a group of naphthodianthrone found in buckwheat.Because of its phototoxicity,Fagopyrins could cause fagopyrism when overly consumed by humans and animals.Syndromes included skin inflammation,hair loss,asthma and fainting.In the meanwhile,Fagopyrins also had a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities,such as antibacterial,antivirus and antitumor activities,which enable them to be used in photodanamic therapy.As a great country of buckwheat production and consumption,the research on the photosensitive element of buckwheat was however poorly documented.In this paper,such researches were reviewed.The chemical structure,extraction,analysis and bioactivity study of Fagopyrins were discussed,providing reference for further study.

Key words: Fagopyrins, chemical structure, extraction, analysis, biological activities