Phytochemistry Reviews最新文献

Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh., known as “BaiGuRan” in China, is a mangrove plant with both medicinal and edible properties. A. marina has traditionally been used as a folk medicine in many Asian and African countries, including China, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, and Egypt, for the treatment of ulcers, smallpox, abscesses, rheumatism, wounds, snakebites, skin diseases, and diarrhea. This review aims to furnish a comprehensive overview of the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and toxicity of A. marina with a view to providing a scientific basis for its further development and utilization. The relevant information on A. marina was collected from a series of electronic databases, and > 100 scientific studies have been used since 1961. Up to now, systematic phytochemical investigation on different parts of A. marina resulted in the isolation and identification of 124 structurally diverse compounds, including iridoid glucosides, phenolic glycosides, naphthalene derivatives, flavonoids, organic acids, terpenoids, steroids, lignans, and others. Among these, iridoid glucosides and naphthalene derivatives are considered as the characteristic components of A. marina. In addition to the structural diversity of phytochemicals, both crude extracts and monomeric compounds obtained from A. marina display broad-spectrum bioactivities, including antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor, antiviral, hepatoprotective, antiparasitic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, and other activities. Although some progress has been made on A. marina, further studies on its molecular mechanisms, pharmacodynamics, quality control, toxicological evaluation, and clinical application are still warranted.

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Cannabis is one of the most widely grown multi-purpose crops. It has been at the center of scientific attention for many years, mainly due to its unique chemical composition. The strongest natural fibers possessing antibacterial properties can be obtained from plant stalks. Seeds contain oil with well-balanced fatty acids and seed meal is a good source of digestible protein. In addition, Cannabis plants produce secondary metabolites, including bioactive cannabinoids, terpenes, phenolic compounds, and alkaloids. Phytocannabinoids, predominantly produced in Cannabis, represent thoroughly studied class of the compounds with wide range of pharmacological activities. In addition, more than 40 jurisdictions have undertaken policy reforms to liberalize the use of Cannabis products for medical and/or non-medical adult use. An appropriate measures need to be taken to minimize the eventual negative impacts of Cannabis use. Evidence-based education in combination with proportionate sanctions is the only way to maximize the positive outcomes of Cannabis policy reforms. It is also crucial to secure microbial, chemical quality and safety of Cannabis products, likely via introducing international standards based on inter-laboratory validation. Finally, technical and ethical challenges associated with promising tools to improve the quality and yield of Cannabis production, such as in vitro-, new breeding techniques and polyploidy should be solved.

Trichilia P. Brown is one of the largest genera in the Meliaceae family and currently has 102 accepted species. Trichilia species present a wide range of biological activities, such as insecticidal, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory, and are notable for their great biotechnological potential. By August 2013, 334 new compounds of several classes had been identified in species of the genus. In order to update the review published by Vieira et al. (2014), this work aims to report the compounds identified in Trichilia species from September 2013 to December 2023. During this period, 305 new compounds were identified and limonoids were the main compounds, accounting for 61%. Although several biological activities were presented, the cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities were particularly noteworthy, as they were presented by more than half of the compounds tested. According to the data published in the previous review, together with those obtained in the current research, by 2023, a total of 639 compounds had been identified in Trichilia species, with limonoids being the most predominant. In the future, research focusing on the insecticidal activities of the compounds identified in Trichilia against agricultural pests and insect vectors could be of great importance, as well as in vivo tests and toxicological investigations to assess the potential for its use as a medicine.

Conferone is one of the most abundant sesquiterpene coumarins isolated from the Ferula and Heptaptera genera. In addition to three exported medicinal products, the genus Ferula is also used in traditional medicine to treat cough, asthma, toothache, stomach problems, and constipation. Conferone, as one of 31 sesquiterpene coumarins identified from the roots of Ferula species, has shown various medicinal activities such as anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitor, anticancer, and anti-leishmanial. Despite recent studies on the anticancer activity of conferone, most of the related literature is usually scattered in different publications, which limits the possibility of further research on this secondary metabolite. This comprehensive review, collected conferone data from 1972 to August 2023 using major databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, etc. Although there are not many published papers on this sesquiterpene coumarin. However, this review article aims to promote more research on conferone by summarizing the available literature on sources, extraction methods, isolation, identification, and determination of the structure to investigate the biological activities and the relationship of its structure with the reported activities. Therefore, in the present work, while reviewing the in vitro and in silico studies conducted on conferone, in the end, a critical evaluation will be presented to highlight the strengths and limitations along with solutions to solve them.

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Sesquiterpene coumarins are primarily produced by plants of the Apiaceae and Asteraceae families. Farnesylation of 7-hydroxycoumarins such as umbelliferone, scopoletin or isofraxidin yield linear 7-farnesyloxycoumarins that are converted to various cyclic sesquiterpene coumarins by sesquiterpene coumarin synthases (cyclases). The terminal double bond of the linear 7-farnesyloxycoumarins is epoxidized by a sesquiterpene coumarin epoxidase. The diverse 7-(10′,11′-oxidofarnesyloxy)-coumarins produced are protonated by various sesquiterpene coumarin synthases to generate a carbocation that initiates cyclization of the farnesyl moiety (A process analogous to the carbocation cascades observed with sesquiterpene synthases and other cyclases involved in the biosynthesis of additional terpene classes, such as the triterpenes). These reaction mechanisms typically include Wagner-Meerwein rearrangements, such as hydride, methyl, and other alkyl shifts, but can also involve more complex processes including Grob fragmentations. Around 260 sesquiterpene coumarins based on 7-farnesyloxycoumarins have been described, but essentially nothing is known about the biosynthetic enzymes involved, i.e., farnesyltransferase, sesquiterpene coumarin epoxidase and synthase. In this review, putative reaction pathways for formation of the carbon skeletons of all known 7-farnesyloxycoumarins-derived sesquiterpene coumarins are presented.

Prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus; Cupressaceae family), is a wild plant that grows spontaneously in the Mediterranean and Near East regions. This manuscript provides an updated overview of J. oxycedrus fruit, leaves, and essential oil (EO) chemistry, as well as their biological activities and toxicity, through a systematic search in the most known scientific databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. After application of the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 70 studies were included. The findings indicate that phenolic acids (protocatechuic, p-coumaric, chlorogenic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids), flavonoids (hesperidin, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, naringenin, amentoflavone, cupressuflavone and apigenin) and their derivatives, besides lignans (matairesinol and secoisolariciresinol), coumarins (7-hydroxycoumarin and aesculetin), and the organic compound shikimic acid are the main bioactive molecules isolated from the fruit and leaves of J. oxycedrus. On the other hand, the EOs extracted from these plant parts could be considered rich sources of many volatile molecules, including α- and β-pinene, limonene, β-myrcene, D-germacrene, p-cymene, and sabenine. So far, numerous animal, cell-based and in vitro studies have investigated the pharmacological activities of J. oxycedrus. Among the reported bioactivities, we found anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, cytotoxic and anti-proliferative, cholinesterase enzyme inhibitory, wound healing and antioxidant activities. However, novel extraction methods should be used, and in-depth studies are encouraged to confirm the reported bioactivities, isolate the active constituents, and evaluate the toxicity of J. oxycedrus fruit and leaves extracts, fractions and EOs. This is crucial for any future clinical trials or phytotherapeutics development.

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Pentacyclic triterpenoids are considered as compounds with 30 carbon atom basic structure that are widely spread across the plant kingdom, and to a limited extent in marine organisms. Amongst various types of pentacyclic triterpenoids, oleanane, ursane and lupane type occur in abundance, and therefore have garnered significant attention. These potent compounds have exhibited anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective antimicrobial etc., activities. Due to their structural diversity, they act on different molecular markers and have exhibited numerous biological activities by virtue of different mechanistic pathways. This review provides an overview on pentacyclic triterpenoids starting with their distribution, structural diversity and biosynthesis. This review also highlights the therapeutic potential of pentacyclic triterpenoids. A detailed analysis of their anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective activities is presented. The molecular mechanisms underlying these pharmacological effects, including modulation of signaling pathways, enzyme inhibition, and interaction with cellular targets, are thoroughly discussed. In conclusion, this comprehensive review synthesizes the current state of knowledge on pentacyclic triterpenoids, providing valuable insights into their therapeutic potential and underlying molecular mechanisms. The information presented herein will serve as a foundation for future research endeavors, drug development, and the exploration of novel applications for these natural compounds.

To feed the nearly 10 billion people by the year 2050, agricultural activities and yield must be enhanced substantially, maintaining soil health and overpowering the expected adverse effects of climate change. High soil salinity is one of the major concerns in future farming, as salinity is a prominent abiotic stress that significantly impacts plants inhabiting arid and semiarid environments worldwide. The increasing levels of soil salinity are proving detrimental to agriculture, the general productivity of the ecosystem, and the economy at large. Excessive salt accumulation in plants leads to an osmotic imbalance, resulting in a decrease in photosynthesis, formation of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, hormonal instability, and decreased water and mineral uptake. To mitigate the adverse impacts of salt stress, along with diverse physiological mechanisms, plants have developed symbiotic associations with endophytic microorganisms that reside within the plant tissues and help the plants in many ways. Endophytes have been found to alleviate the effects of salinity stress by diverse mechanisms—synthesis of osmolytes, and antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase; synthesis and modulation of phytohormones such as ethylene, indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellin, abscisic acid, etc.; promotion of siderophore production and exopolysaccharide formation; carrying out nitrogen fixation, and increasing phosphate solubilization. In this review, the effects of salinity stress on plants, and the mechanisms by which endophytic microorganisms help the plants to withstand such stress are discussed at length. The application of tailored endophytic microbial consortia holds the key to future food security through sustainable agriculture.

Alkaloids, a diverse group of naturally occurring compounds, have long been recognized for their therapeutic potential. This article explores the varied roles of alkaloids in medicine, with a particular focus on their impact on cognitive systems, antimicrobial and antiviral properties, and anticancer therapies. The cognitive benefits of alkaloids, especially in enhancing memory and neuroprotection, are well-documented, while their antimicrobial and antiviral activities offer promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics and antiviral agents, particularly in the face of rising antimicrobial resistance and viral outbreaks. Furthermore, alkaloids have emerged as potent agents in anticancer therapy, with several studies highlighting their ability to induce apoptosis and inhibit tumor growth. To ensure a sustainable and enhanced supply of these valuable compounds, biotechnological approaches have been employed, including genetic transformation techniques using Agrobacterium, CRISPR-mediated gene editing, gene silencing, and plant tissue culture methods. These approaches have significantly improved alkaloid biosynthesis in plants, offering scalable production methods. However, the natural production of alkaloids faces limitations, necessitating the exploration of laboratory synthesis. Advances in asymmetric synthesis and transition metal catalysis have paved the way for the efficient laboratory production of complex alkaloid structures, offering a reliable alternative to natural extraction. This article emphasizes the importance of integrating plant-based and laboratory-synthesized alkaloids to overcome supply challenges and meet the growing demand for alkaloid-based medicines. By combining traditional knowledge with modern scientific techniques, we can unlock the full potential of alkaloids, ensuring their continued contribution to healthcare and pharmaceutical innovation.

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