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Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications

Submission Deadline: 31 December 2025 View: 1087 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Marcello Iriti

Email: marcello.iriti@unimi.it

Affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Italy

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Research Interests: phytotherapeutics; essential oils; bioactive phytochemicals; ethnobotany; ethnopharmacology; antimicrobial resistance; one health; food security

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Summary

The "Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications" special issue explores the latest developments in plant secondary metabolism, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis and regulation of bioactive compounds. Secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, isoprenoids, and phenylpropanoids, play crucial roles in plant defense, growth, and development, as well as in interactions with the environment. This special issue will showcase cutting-edge research on the molecular pathways, enzymatic processes, and gene regulation networks that control the synthesis of these metabolites. In addition, the problem will highlight novel biotechnological applications of plant secondary metabolites in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and sustainable agriculture, as well as their potential for improving human health and ecosystem sustainability.Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Plant resistance mechanisms against pathogens and pests;

2. Plant tolerance strategies against abiotic stresses;

3. Global climate change;

4. Water, air and soil pollution;

5. Medicinal plants and their biological activities;

6. Essential oils and their applications;

7. Advances in omics technologies (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics) in secondary metabolism research.

Keywords

plant secondary metabolites; biosynthesis; gene regulation; metabolic pathways; alkaloids; phenylpropanoids; phenolics; flavonoids; isoprenoids; terpenoids; metabolic engineering; biotechnological applications; omics technologies; plant-environment interactions; sustainable agriculture; bioactive secondary metabolites

Published Papers

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Open Access

ARTICLE

New Findings on the Volatilome of Persea americana Miller
Elizabeth Martinez, Ana K. Escalera-Ordaz, Francisco J. Espinosa-García, Yolanda M. García-Rodríguez, Rafael Ariza-Flores, Javier Ponce-Saavedra, Patricio Apáez-Barrios, Héctor Guillén-Andrade
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.073438
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications)
Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play an important role in plant survival and adaptation. They contribute to defense against pests and pathogens, tolerance to abiotic stress, and the mediation of essential ecological interactions such as pollination and attraction of dispersal agents. The complex mixture of VOCs produced by an organism, known as volatilome, varies across species, populations, and individuals, making VOCs a major factor in crop diversification and adaptation. In this context, characterizing the volatilome of crop genotypes can provide insight into their ecological associations and potential relationships with agronomic traits. In this study, the volatilome… More >

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ARTICLE

Chitosan-Selenate Complex Improves Bioactive Profile and Antioxidant Response in Wheat Sprouts (Triticum aestivum L.)
Jazmín Montserrat Gaucin-Delgado, Cristian Oswaldo Solis-López, Pablo Preciado-Rangel, Bernardo Espinosa-Palomeque, Francisco Gerardo Veliz-Deras, Viridiana Contreras-Villarreal, Ricardo Israel Ramírez-Gottfried
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.072536
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications)
Abstract Selenium (Se) deficiency is a global health problem affecting more than 500 million people; crop biofortification is a sustainable strategy for its mitigation. This study investigated the effect of the application of selenate nanoparticles (SeO₄²⁻) and the combination of selenate (SeO₄²⁻) and chitosan (CS) (forming a SeO₄²⁻-CS complex) on the antioxidant profile, growth, biomass, bioactive compounds, enzymes, and Se accumulation of wheat (Triticum spp.) sprouts. Fourteen treatments were applied using a factorial design combining seven concentrations and two formulations: SeO₄²⁻ and SeO₄²⁻-CS. It was identified that chitosan increased Se uptake efficiency by 30% versus conventional selenate. The optimal… More >

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REVIEW

Phytochemicals as Multi-Target Therapeutic Agents for Oxidative Stress-Driven Pathologies: Mechanisms, Synergies, and Clinical Prospects
Bismillah Mubeen, Ammarah Hasnain, Syed Atif Hasan Naqvi, Fahad Hakim, Syed Sheharyar Hassan Naqvi, Muhammad Zeeshan Hassan, Muhammad Umer Iqbal, Mahmoud Moustafa, Mohammed O. Alshaharni, Mingzheng Duan
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.7, pp. 1941-1971, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.064056
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications)
Abstract Plants have long served as a cornerstone for drug discovery, offering a vast repertoire of bioactive compounds with proven efficacy in combating oxidative stress, a pivotal driver of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions. This review synthesizes current knowledge on plant-derived antioxidants, emphasizing their mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and quantitative efficacy validated through standardized assays. Key phytochemicals, including polyphenols, carotenoids, flavonoids, and terpenoids, neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) through radical scavenging, enzyme modulation, and gene regulation. For instance, lutein, a carotenoid found in leafy greens, demonstrates potent antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ values… More >

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ARTICLE

Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Insights into Enhanced Paclitaxel Biosynthesis in Cultivated Taxus cuspidata
Dandan Wang, Jiaxin Chen, Yanwen Zhang
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.4, pp. 1137-1158, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.063894
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications)
Abstract Taxus cuspidata, a rare species of the Taxus genus, and its wild resources are under severe threat. The development of cultivated species has become an important strategy to replace wild species. The objective of this work was to elucidate the differences in secondary metabolite accumulation, particularly in the paclitaxel biosynthesis pathway, between wild and cultivated species. This study employed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technologies to conduct integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of wild and cultivated species of T. cuspidata. The results showed that the content of paclitaxel in cultivated species was significantly higher… More >

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ARTICLE

Optimizing Ethanol Concentrations to Enhance Growth and Bioactive Compound Production in Agastache rugosa Cultivated in a Plant Factory
Vu Phong Lam, Dao Nhan Loi, Xin Wang, Jongwon Do, Isaya Kisekk, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, Jongseok Park
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.4, pp. 1253-1267, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.062507
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications)
Abstract Agastache rugosa, a medicinal plant known for its bioactive compounds, has gained attention for its pharmacological and commercial potential. This study aimed to optimize ethanol concentration to enhance growth and bioactive compound production in A. rugosa cultivated in a controlled plant factory system. Ethanol treatments at 40 and 80 mM significantly promoted both vegetative and reproductive growth. Plants treated with these concentrations exhibited higher net photosynthetic rates (A) and intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i) compared to the untreated control, whereas stomatal conductance (g_s) and transpiration rate (E) remained unaffected. Chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations, and SPAD values, significantly increased with ethanol… More >

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ARTICLE

Reprogramming the Metabolome of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban Callus: Profiling of Newly Synthesized Cryptic Anthocyanins Triggered by LED Light Exposure
Claude Y. Hamany Djande, Paul A. Steenkamp, Ian A. Dubery
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.4, pp. 1269-1286, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.062392
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications)
Abstract Centella asiatica L., a medicinal herb, has attracted substantial interest in research as well as commercial domains due to its bioactive compounds which include the pentacyclic triterpenoid centellosides, and in addition, hydroxy. In addition, hydroxycinnamic acid conjugates as well as flavonoids. The latter is the major class of secondary plant metabolites and comprises various subclasses, including anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins are rarely reported in extracts from C. asiatica and differ structurally due to a flavylium (2-phenylchromenylium) ion that carries a positive charge at the oxygen atom of the C-ring of the basic flavonoid structure. Callus of C. asiatica was initiated… More >

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ARTICLE

Orchestrating the Phytochemical Content and Bioactivities in the Leaf, Bark, and Fruit Extracts of Cornus capitata Wall
Deen Bandhu Dimri, Manisha Nigam, Naresh Singh, Shilpa Semwal, Marcello Iriti, Abhay Prakash Mishra
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.3, pp. 1007-1027, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.061270
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications)
Abstract Cornus capitata, commonly known as the Himalayan strawberry, is a dogwood species from the family Cornaceae. Dogwood plants have been used extensively to practice conventional medicine due to their biological activities; however, the mechanisms behind these activities, particularly in C. capitata, remain largely unexplored. This study focuses on the preliminary phytochemical screening, antioxidant activity, anti-diabetic potential, and antimicrobial profiling of different extracts (i.e., leaves, bark, and fruit) from C. capitata to evaluate its potential pharmaceutical and medicinal applications. The in-vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay, Ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and Superoxide Anion Scavenging assay.… More >
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Advances in Molecular Insights of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Applications

Guest Editors

Summary

Keywords

Published Papers

View

335

Download

86

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2

View

241

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44

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1254

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560

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1080

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661

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732

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599

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838

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590

View

1344

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568

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