Phytochemical Constituents and Biological Activities
Summary
Phytochemical constituents encompass a vast array of secondary metabolites synthesised by plants, including alkaloids, phenolics (such as flavonoids and phenolic acids), terpenoids (mono-, sesqui-, diterpenoids and norisoprenoids), glycosides and lignans. These compounds fulfil critical ecological roles in defence against pathogens, herbivores and abiotic stress, while also exerting diverse bioactivities of pharmacological and agricultural interest. Technological advances—ranging from nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry–based metabolomics to in situ imaging modalities—have dramatically improved the resolution and throughput of phytochemical profiling. Concurrently, functional assays have elucidated mechanisms underlying antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial and insecticidal effects, often via modulation of cellular signalling cascades and transcription factors. Integration of phytochemical characterisation with biological evaluation continues to drive the discovery of novel lead structures for drug development, botanical crop protectants and nutraceuticals, supporting sustainable exploitation of plant biodiversity with global health and environmental benefits.
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Phytochemical Constituents and Biological Activities publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in phytochemical constituents and biological activities across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phytochemicals: Bioactive plant metabolites synthesised via specialised biosynthetic pathways.
Lignans: Polyphenolic dimers derived from phenylpropanoid units with antioxidant and anticancer properties.
Neolignans: Structural isomers of lignans exhibiting diverse biological activities.
Megastigmane: C13 norisoprenoid compounds formed by oxidative cleavage of carotenoids.
Antifeedant: Substance that deters feeding or growth of herbivorous insects.
NF-κB: Transcription factor central to the regulation of inflammatory and immune responses.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Non-invasive technique combining spatial resolution with spectroscopic detection of metabolites.
References
- A holistic visualization for quality of Chinese materia medica: Structural and metabolic visualization by magnetic resonance imaging. Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis (2024).
- Activity of Colocasia esculenta (Taro) Corms against Gastric Adenocarcinoma Cells: Chemical Study and Molecular Characterization. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- Norsesquiterpenes from the Latex of Euphorbia dentata and Their Chemical Defense Mechanisms against Helicoverpa armigera. Molecules (2023).
- Chemical Constituents from the Flowers of Carthamus tinctorius L. and Their Lung Protective Activity. Molecules (2022).
About these summaries
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