Functions of Representative Terpenoids and Their Biosynthesis Mechanisms in Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Terpenoids are the broadest and richest group of chemicals obtained from plants. These plant-derived terpenoids have been extensively utilized in various industries, including food and pharmaceuticals. Several specific terpenoids have been identified and isolated from medicinal plants, emphasizing the diversity of biosynthesis and specific functionality of terpenoids. With advances in the technology of sequencing, the genomes of certain important medicinal plants have been assembled. This has improved our knowledge of the biosynthesis and regulatory molecular functions of terpenoids with medicinal functions. In this review, we introduce several notable medicinal plants that produce distinct terpenoids (e.g., Cannabis sativa, Artemisia annua, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Ginkgo biloba, and Taxus media). We summarize the specialized roles of these terpenoids in plant-environment interactions as well as their significance in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Additionally, we highlight recent findings in the fields of molecular regulation mechanisms involved in these distinct terpenoids biosynthesis, and propose future opportunities in terpenoid research, including biology seeding, and genetic engineering in medicinal plants.

Research on the Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology of Taxus × media

“…According to authoritative institutions, the biological characteristics of the introduced Taxus × media have remained stable without any mutations. It is now cultivated in various locations in China, including the Sichuan, Guangxi, and Shandong provinces [ 14 ].…”

“…In Taiwan, Taxus × media is a rare plant found in only six to seven locations. In the Himalayan region, it is typically found at altitudes between 1200 and 2000 m, while in Eastern China, most sites are below 1200 m. In Southern Vietnam, Taxus × media exists in several small sub-populations, such as in the Lam Dong and Khanh Hoa provinces [ 14 ].…”

Combining Transcriptome- and Metabolome-Analyzed Differentially Expressed Genes and Differential Metabolites in Development Period of Caoyuanheimo-1 (Agaricus sp.) from Inner Mongolia, China

“…Terpenoids are a large family of secondary metabolites widely distributed in nature [13][14][15][16]. These compounds and their derivatives, composed of isoprene (C5) units, can be classified into monoterpenes (C10), sesquiterpenes (C15), diterpenes (C20), triterpenes (C30), and polyterpenes based on the number of carbon atoms [17].…”