Phytochemical Analysis and Bioactivity of Acer Species
Summary
Acer species, commonly known as maples, represent a diverse genus of deciduous trees and shrubs renowned for their rich repertoire of secondary metabolites. Phytochemical investigations have revealed a complex array of phenolic compounds, including flavonoids, tannins and neolignan glycosides, alongside terpenoids and polysaccharides. Extraction methods typically combine solvent partitioning with chromatographic techniques, while structural elucidation relies on spectroscopic tools such as nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. These chemical profiles underpin a wide spectrum of bioactivities: potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that mitigate oxidative stress; antimicrobial actions against bacterial and fungal pathogens; enzyme-inhibitory properties relevant to metabolic disorders; and even phytoestrogenic and cytotoxic activities. Efforts to develop rapid on-line screening platforms, notably coupling high-performance liquid chromatography with radical scavenging assays, have accelerated the identification of lead compounds. The global significance of Acer-derived molecules lies in their potential for nutraceuticals, functional foods, cosmeceuticals and phytopharmaceuticals. By bridging fundamental phytochemistry with translational bioactivity studies, current research continues to expand the practical applications of maple extracts and their purified constituents, emphasising sustainable resource utilisation and novel therapeutic avenues.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Phytochemical Analysis and Bioactivity of Acer Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in phytochemical analysis and bioactivity of acer species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phytochemical profiling: The systematic analysis of plant secondary metabolites using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques.
Flavonoids: A large class of polyphenolic compounds in plants known for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and enzyme-modulating activities.
Neolignan glycoside: A lignan derivative in which sugar moieties are attached, often contributing to solubility and bioactivity.
Galloyl derivative: A phenolic ester formed by conjugation of gallic acid with other molecular scaffolds, frequently associated with radical-scavenging properties.
HPLC-ABTS⁺ on-line screening: A hybrid method combining high-performance liquid chromatography with a radical cation assay for rapid detection of antioxidant compounds.
References
- Isolation and Bioactivity Analysis of Ethyl Acetate Extract from Acer tegmentosum Using In Vitro Assay and On‐Line Screening HPLC‐ABTS+ System. Journal of Analytical Methods in Chemistry (2014).
- A New Neolignan Glycoside from the Leaves of Acer truncatum. Molecules (2006).
- Phytochemical Investigation, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Acer cappadocicum Gled. Life (2021).
- Antioxidative and Anti‐Inflammatory Activities of Galloyl Derivatives and Antidiabetic Activities of Acer ginnala. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2017).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.