Phenolic Compounds of the Medicinal Plants in an Anthropogenically Transformed Environment

Abstract

In this article, the impact of an anthropogenically transformed environment on the content of pharmaceutically valuable biologically active compounds in medicinal plants is analyzed. The studied biologically active substances included phenolic compounds (flavonoids, anthocyanins, tannins, and phenolic acids). The number of transmissible forms of heavy metals (HMs), including cadmium, lead, and mercury, were discharged from factories that are present in the soil. Plants uptake these toxic metals from the soil. HM causes changes in the activity of the several enzymes such as phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI) and other enzymes. These enzymes play an important role in biosynthesis of phenolic compounds in medicinal plants. It has been demonstrated that plant materials possess high antioxidant potential due to their high phenolic content. As a result, the present review discusses a thorough investigation of anthropogenically transformed environment effects on the quantity of pharmaceutically valuable phenolic compounds in medicinal plants.

Impact of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Environment on the Metabolic Profile of Medicinal Plants and Their Therapeutic Potential

“… Phenolic acids: are a subgroup of polyphenols with a phenolic ring and an acidic moiety. They are abundant in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, playing a crucial role in the antioxidant defense system [ 36 , 37 ]. Ferulic acid (present in whole grains), caffeic acid (found in coffee), and rosmarinic acid (in rosemary and sage) are phenolic acids with antioxidant potential.…”

“…This interdependence between pathways signifies a disruption in the complicated network of biochemical processes [ 124 , 172 ]. Heavy metal stress can compromise biosynthetic pathways, potentially leading to altered concentrations of secondary metabolites [ 37 , 117 ] This interference in biosynthetic equipment has implications for the overall chemical profile of medicinal plants, highlighting the need to explore the broader consequences of heavy metal exposure on their secondary metabolite composition, insufficiently addressed until now [ 67 ].…”