Phytochemistry Reviews最新文献

The aroma compounds contribute to fruits flavor, taste, and nutritional value. These compounds include various chemical classes such as terpenoids, lactones, ketones, esters, acids, alcohols, and their derivatives. Uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs) modify these compounds by covalently adding one or multiple sugar molecules. This glycosylation process converts volatile, unstable, and hydrophobic aroma compounds into hydrophilic, stable, and slow-releasing reservoirs of fruit flavor. The diversity and spatio-temporal expression patterns of UGTs play a crucial role in forming a wide range of glycosylated aroma compounds. This review focuses on aroma-related compounds in both free and glycosylated-bound forms found in commercial vital fruits. We discuss various fruit-specific UGTs and their role in the glycosylation of aroma compounds. Based on structural and functional information on UGTs, we have assessed sugar donor specificity and the residues responsible for the same. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis of characterized UGTs provides insights into their substrate preferences. We also surveyed the expression dynamics of UGTs during fruit ripening, as the switching between aglycon and glycosylated-bound forms of aroma compounds significantly impacts fruit quality. Potential applications of UGTs in the food and fragrance industry have been discussed. The information reviewed could be beneficial for developing novel methods for flavor manipulation of commercially important glycosides derived from natural resources.

The genus Artemisia belongs to Asteraceae family. Many species of this genus have been used as traditional medicine for a long time in Asian countries. Sesquiterpenoids, one of the most important groups of natural compounds, are abundantly found in this genus. The modern pharmacological experiments showed miscellaneous biological activities of these compounds. The purpose of this review is to provide information on traditional usage, phytochemistry, and biological activity of the Artemisia species and to identify future research directions for these plants. Our comprehensive review covers the published literature through the period from 2017 to 2023 and provides a complete survey of nearly all the studied species up to date. The literatures report seven hundred and fifteen sesquiterpenoids in the Artemisia genus, which were classified as eudesmane-type, guaiane-type, cadinane-type, germacrane-type, oplopane-type, seco-guaianolide-type, bisabolane-type, farnesane-type, rearranged cadinene, iphonane, cedrane, rare type sesquiterpenoid, dimeric-sesquiterpenoid and trimeric-sesquiterpenoid. The bioactivities of individual compounds, both in vitro and in vivo, include anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antifibrotic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungus, antiviral, neuroprotective, and antioxidant properties. This review discusses the names, chemical structures, corresponding plant sources and bioactivities of these compounds from Artemisia species over the past seven years (2017–2023). The rich profile of biologically active compounds isolated from Artemisia species might be a valuable resource for inspiring the rational development of novel therapeutic drugs.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a rapidly growing global epidemic, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which accounts for 90% of cases. Despite the availability of various antidiabetic treatments, the long-term management of DM remains a challenge due to the side effects of conventional drugs and the disease’s progressive complications, such as nephropathy, retinopathy, atherosclerosis, and neuropathy. C-phycocyanin (C-PC), a bluish-green protein derived from cyanobacteria, seaweeds, and algae, has shown potential as a therapeutic agent due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and antiglycation properties. Studies suggest that C-PC can reduce oxidative stress, inhibit key enzymes like α-amylase and β-glucosidase, and mitigate the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), all of which are central to DM pathogenesis. This review critically assesses the existing literature on C-PC’s role in diabetes management, focusing on its mechanisms of action and its potential as a natural antidiabetic agent. Our findings underscore the significance of C-PC as a promising alternative for DM treatment, and we highlight the need for further research to fully understand its therapeutic potential and application in clinical settings.

Moringa oleifera Lam. has garnered widespread recognition as a superfood to combat malnutrition, owing to its exceptional nutrient profile. The rich repertoire of biologically active components, such as isothiocyanates, flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, terpenoids, and sterols, is being utilized for a multitude of therapeutic activities, including anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, cardioprotective, antimicrobial, and anti-fertility. These functional attributes have paved the way for incorporating M. oleifera into diverse applications, from dietary supplements to nano-formulations. Hence, the present review aims to offer an in-depth account of the nutritional composition, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, therapeutic utility, nano-formulations, and toxicity profile of M. oleifera. These collective insights underline the holistic worth of M. oleifera, positioning it as a valuable asset with vast implications for human health and beyond.

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A myriad of in vitro, in vivo, and clinical data provide compelling evidence for the antidiabetic potential of plant polyphenols. One of the primary explanations for this is the ability of polyphenols to target multiple factors that contribute to diabetes. Insulin resistance, insulin signaling, oxidative stress, obesity, hypertension, and inflammation play critical roles in the onset and progression of diabetes. Being a multifactorial disease, diabetes, therefore, requires therapeutic molecules with multi-targeting capabilities. This makes us recognize the importance of polyphenols in the treatment of diabetes. Several polyphenols are known to inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase, ameliorate insulin resistance, increase glucose uptake, protect the β-cells, increase antioxidant properties of blood plasma, inhibit pro-inflammatory agents, possess cardioprotective and neuroprotective activities in complications of diabetes mellitus. This review highlights the ‘one drug, multi-target and multi-therapeutic’ aspects of polyphenols for diabetes treatment with recent in vitro, in vivo, and clinical evidence. We aim to unveil the diverse molecular targets of polyphenols in the context of diabetes management, showcasing their potential as a safe and natural alternative to conventional diabetes medications, making them a promising candidate for holistic and integrative diabetes treatment, and exemplifying the paradigm shift from one drug, one target to one drug, multi-target.

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Medicinal plants have remained a promising panacea for various health problems since ancient times. Trianthema portulacastrum L. (Family: Aizoaceae) is a small, diffused, annual and branched weed native to South Africa and also distributed in America, Baluchistan, India and West Asia. It is one of the significant medicinal herbs used for a variety of culinary and healthcare practices all over the world. Traditionally, it was used for the treatment of jaundice, asthma, throat infections and rheumatism. It is also helpful in treating alcohol poisoning. Its fleshy leaves are used for wound healing. The medicinal herb is a rich reservoir of therapeutically useful bioactive constituents, viz. flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, tannins, glycosides and phenols. This plant possesses several pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-fungal, anti-pyretic, anticancer, hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective. The present review is an effort to consolidate the available information on its ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacological actions with possible mechanisms of action, toxicological studies, and recent advances. The phytotoxic potential of this weed has also been highlighted which may serve as a source for developing potent herbicides. The findings of this article may provide useful leads for pharmaceutical scientists, food scientists and herbal health practitioners to search for new drugs. The findings may also be beneficial for preparing a monograph of plants for future research aspects. Further comprehensive research is needed to evaluate molecular modes of action and ascertain efficacious doses of T. portulacastrum.

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The increasing demand for natural ingredients in cosmetics raises new challenges for the characterization of highly complex natural extracts and the production of standardized extracts. Metabolomics has spread in a variety of research areas with great success for metabolite identification, product discrimination, and the control of quality, authenticity and adulteration. This review aims to present recent trends in the development of metabolomics tools and their potential to address new issues in natural cosmetics for more effective selection and control of natural ingredients. The current sources of natural ingredients used in skincare products are summarized. The actual metabolomics approaches are delineated, encompassing the pivotal steps of metabolomic workflow from sample extraction and metabolite identification to data mining and statistical analysis. Outlined are diverse cosmeceutical activities, ranging from antioxidant effectiveness and anti-inflammatory potential to rejuvenating properties, ultraviolet radiation protection, and the brightening attributes inherent in natural extracts. Finally, we presented the contributions of metabolomics to the quality assessment of natural cosmetics ingredients by identification of bioactive compounds, dereplication of bio-sourced ingredients, quality and safety assessment of extracts, authentication, and traceability, and the detection of adulteration. This review presents systematic approaches to studying the complex phytochemical mixtures found in natural ingredients, linking analytical techniques to biological assay systems, and thereby opening new opportunities for discovering active principles and assisting in the production of standardized compositions.

Recently, microalgae have attracted attention as a natural source of healthier bioactive molecules, especially carotenoids, because human bodies lack the ability to synthesize them, and their intake is necessary for human nutrition. Microalgae can produce various classes of these natural products, distinguished by their health benefits. In food sectors, microalgae are available as whole cells or as a source for extracting a specific carotenoid. This review summarizes recent knowledge of the biosynthesis pathway and the factors affecting carotenoid content, as well as strategies for increasing microalgae synthesis of various carotenoids. New uses of carotenoid-rich microalgae in food are highlighted, along with the main challenges and suggested solutions for using microalgal-carotenoids in the foodstuff. Carotenoids, particularly β-carotene and astaxanthin, face significant challenges in terms of bioavailability and stability when included in foods. Although many solutions were proposed, more research is required to determine the stability of other carotenoids under various food processing techniques. Furthermore, future studies should focus on improving bioavailability and accessibility after digestion in order to benefit from all added carotenoids. Modern technology and a fast-paced lifestyle necessitate the inclusion and acceptance of microalgal carotenoids, particularly for the most vulnerable populations, children, and pregnant women.

Lichens are natural products distributed in a variety of environments, including rocks, trees, soil, human structures, forests, mountains, and even in deserts and polar regions. In their quest to unravel the intricacies of lichen chemistry, most scientists have delved into the study of these organisms, finding a source of several distinctive and unique secondary metabolites, such as depsides, depsidones, dibenzofurans, anthraquinones and pulvinic acid derivatives. Hovewer, the fact that these organisms can also biosynthesise molecules such as terpenoids and sterols has been overlooked, since they are poorly studied in these organisms. To fill this knowledge gap, a comprehensive review of terpenoids and sterols reported up to 2023 has been carried out in the present study. A total of 177 lichen terpenoid compounds have been reported, and divided into 2 sesquiterpenes, 19 diterpenes, 5 sesterterpenes, 110 triterpenes, 8 rare terpenes and 33 sterols. These compounds have been described in different lichen species, where only a few compounds have been studied for their biological properties. Thus, we review lichen-derived terpenoids with an emphasis on their sources of origin to provide an impetus for future research.

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The importance of microbes in helping plants deal with unfavorable environmental conditions is currently receiving a lot of attention. Still, how plants and microbes communicate on a chemical level warrants a deeper understanding. Both plants and microbes exude specialized metabolites (SMs) into the rhizosphere, and the exudate profiles drastically change under sub-optimal conditions such as drought. Yet, it remains unclear what the ecophysiological functions of these exuded compounds are and whether common underlying patterns exist across different plant species. The complexity of chemical mixtures in the rhizosphere, the diversity of microbial communities, and dissimilar experimental conditions are impeding progress in this field. With this article, we aim to link plant-derived SMs under normal and stressful conditions to their signaling effect on soil microbial communities and vice versa while pointing out the newest developments and bottlenecks of getting to the function of root exudate composition. Additionally, we provide some best practices for increasing comparability and reproducibility among experiments.