Linear pyranocoumarins are potential dazzling dancers between nature, chemistry, and clinical application

Abstract

Angelica gigas Nakai, Angelica decursiva, and other healing plants have secondary metabolites called natural linear pyranocoumarins (N-PYCs) that are very uncommon. As anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective agents, they have different effects on biological, toxicological, and ecological systems. Despite their potential advantages, research on these N-PYCs is scarce and necessitates additional evaluation of their pharmacological applications. The goal of this study is to find out more about how N-PYCs are biosynthesized, what their structural features are, and how they can be used in medicine to treat cancer, scavenge free radicals, help people with diabetes, treat microbial infections and inflammation, and protect neurons. We conducted a search on N-PYCs using some scientific platforms, such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google, as well as analyzing 173 papers published between 2000 and 2024. We also looked at how N-PYCs work, how their structure affects their activity, and their therapeutic potential. The findings show that these natural products have the function to treat a wide range of illnesses. For instance, they have been shown to fight cancer by inducing apoptosis, and their antioxidant activity is achieved by lowering the production of reactive oxygen species inside cells. Also, N-PYCs work well against diabetes mellitus by mitigating glucose absorption and lowering oxidative stress. Furthermore, they achieved the anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the induction of inflammatory mediators. Lastly, they showed strong antimicrobial activity and interesting MICs, in addition to protecting neurons from damage. This study highlights the crucial importance of N-PYCs in medicinal chemistry and drug development. These natural products have potential for use in medicine because they can easily undergo structural modification and perform a variety of biological functions. However, more research is needed to go from studying them in nature to using them in medicine.