Phytochemistry Reviews最新文献

{"title":"Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) and its potential as functional food: a comprehensive review on its chemistry, pharmacological, and industrial importance","authors":"Rajan Logesh,&nbsp;Sagar Rajendra Prasad,&nbsp;Kumarappan Chidambaram,&nbsp;Hari Prasad Devkota","doi":"10.1007/s11101-026-10216-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-026-10216-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Hippophae rhamnoides</i> L., commonly known as sea buckthorn (SBT), is recognized for its high medicinal and nutritional value. Traditionally used in systems like Ayurveda, SBT has been extensively studied for its active principles, which provide a wide range of pharmacological properties. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the phytochemistry, ethnobotany, pharmacological activities, nutritional, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications of <i>H. rhamnoides</i>, while highlighting its significance in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics. A systematic literature search was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, using various keywords used including <i>Hippophae rhamnoides</i>, sea buckthorn, ethnobotany of sea buckthorn, phytochemistry of sea buckthorn, pharmacological activities of sea buckthorn, and industrial applications of sea buckthorn. Studies were screened for relevance to the plant’s bioactive compounds, pharmacological effects, and commercial potential. SBT is rich in active constituents such as vitamin C, carotenoids, polyphenols, sterols, and essential fatty acids. SBT has demonstrated to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-ulcer, radioprotective, anti-stress, adaptogenic, and wound-healing activities. The plant is widely utilized in functional food formulations, cosmetics, beverages, nutraceuticals, and animal feed. <i>Hippophae rhamnoides</i> exhibits significant promise as a multifunctional plant with wide-ranging applications in medicine, nutrition, and industry. SBT acts as a diverse bioactive composition, and evidence-based pharmacological activities make it a promising candidate for future therapeutic innovations and broad commercial applications.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 4","pages":"2825 - 2862"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147571240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to: Chemical and biological properties of Mentha × villosa Huds. (mojito mint) and its parental species—Mentha spicata L. (spearmint) and Mentha suaveloens Ehrh. (apple mint)—a review","authors":"Szilvia Tavaszi-Sárosi,&nbsp;Ameni Sfaxi,&nbsp;Ákos Juhász,&nbsp;Péter Radácsi,&nbsp;Katalin Patonay","doi":"10.1007/s11101-025-10214-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-025-10214-6","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 3","pages":"2117 - 2121"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11101-025-10214-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147559959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lutein: chemistry, biosynthesis, applications, and production biotechnology in plants","authors":"Eashan Mukherjee,&nbsp;Saikat Gantait,&nbsp;Jayoti Majumder Sarkar,&nbsp;Shraddha Singh,&nbsp;Sudhir Singh,&nbsp;Somnath Bhattacharyya","doi":"10.1007/s11101-025-10209-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-025-10209-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Among the xanthophylls, lutein is the second most important carotenoid in the world in terms of its application, ubiquity, and bioavailability. Being a yellowish-orange lipophilic water-insoluble crystalline solid, lutein is chemically recognised as (3R, 3′R, 6′R)-β, ε-carotene-3,3′-diol. It is a derivative of α-carotene, featuring two hydroxyl groups on its terminal rings. Naturally, lutein is biosynthesized through the mevalonate pathway, which occurs in the plastids of photosynthetic organisms. Lutein is dominantly found in petals of colorful flowers, egg yolks, and green leafy vegetables. Globally, marigold (<i>Tagetes</i> sp.) is the known source for commercial lutein extraction and production. Recently, microalgal protists have also garnered attention as lucrative alternatives to higher lutein production. Colloquially nicknamed the “eye vitamin” due to its unquestionable properties in preserving and improving eye health, lutein as a nutraceutical has many other industrial, pharmacological, and economic uses due to its antioxidative, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anticancerous, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, and wound healing properties. Apart from health-related applications, lutein also finds uses in food and dyeing industries as a nutritive food colorant and dye. Industrially, lutein is extracted through extraction techniques such as high-speed counter-current chromatography supercritical fluid extraction, enzyme-based extraction, and solvent-based extraction. Although, investigations have enabled the development of eco-friendly green wayouts of lutein production such as ultrasound-assisted extraction, microemulsion technique, microwave-assisted method, transgenics and omics approaches, and hydroponics along with response surface methodology to improvise the extraction process. Hence, the current review discusses the importance of lutein in terms of its chemistry, biosynthesis, applications, and production technologies in light of the above points.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 4","pages":"2745 - 2772"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147571239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ferruginol as multifunctional abietane diterpenoid-comprehensive pharmacological evaluation and computational drug discovery insight","authors":"Iqra Farzeen,&nbsp;Maryam Batool,&nbsp;Zunaira Jaan,&nbsp;Saira Saeed,&nbsp;Muhammad Muzammil Nazir,&nbsp;Shahla Faisal,&nbsp;Asma Ashraf","doi":"10.1007/s11101-026-10217-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-026-10217-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Abietane-type diterpene ferruginol, found in the Podocarpaceae, Cupressaceae, Lamiaceae and Verbenaceae families, is a promising natural product with broad spectrum pharmacological effects. The present review summarize an integrated evaluation of the biological effects of ferruginol; anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, gastroprotective, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and antiviral activity based on in vitro, in vivo, and in silico studies. Ferruginol is a multifunctional, highly cytotoxic agent against many different cancerous cell lines through the induction of mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, ROS production, and cell cycle arrest. It has a potent anti-inflammatory effect which is mediated by the inhibition of NF-KB, COX-2, iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokines and its gastroprotective effect by increasing endogenous prostaglandins, gastric secretions, and antioxidant action. Ferruginol also revealed antimicrobial and antiparasitic effects as it disrupts the membrane integrity, inhibits enzymes, disrupts ergosterol biosynthesis, mitochondrially impairs, and increases ROS. The molecular docking and network pharmacology further identified the major target genes (NR3C1, ESR1/2, PTGS2, AR, SRC) and pathways, such as estrogen signaling, VEGF signaling, serotonergic synapse, and regulation of inflammatory mediators, which support the multi-target therapeutic potential of ferruginol. Together, the existing evidence suggests that ferruginol is a useful bioactive metabolite with good ADME properties and potential to be used as a versatile platform to develop new drugs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 4","pages":"2863 - 2889"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147571252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isoquinoline alkaloids from Amaryllidaceae plants as potential agents against neglected tropical diseases: a review from 2019 to 2025","authors":"Amanda Eiriz Feu,&nbsp;Lays Rafalscky,&nbsp;Renata Priscila Barros de Menezes,&nbsp;Marcus Tullius Scotti,&nbsp;Warley de Souza Borges","doi":"10.1007/s11101-025-10207-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-025-10207-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a group of parasitic diseases that are a major global health issue, particularly in developing countries. Natural products continue to be an area of ac-tive research and may offer new and effective treatments for NTDs. In this sense, Amaryllidaceae species have been studied for their potential antiparasitic activity, such as trypanosomiasis, leish-maniasis and others. A review on Web of Science and Scopus database was carried out to examines those species of the family, which have hitherto been examined for antiparasitic activity at last seven years. In this study, a total of 22 experimental articles related to the theme were identified out of the 444 found in the search platform. Overall, the study listed more than 40 Amaryllidaceae alkaloids which displayed activities including antileishmanial, antiplasmodial, anti-Trichomonas, anti-Trypanosoma, and antiviral effects. A virtual screening study of the Amaryllidaceae alkaloid database was also conducted aiming to find promising molecules with active potential against NTD-causing parasites, <i>Leishmania infantum</i>, <i>Leishmania amazonensis</i>, <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>, and <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>. This library of compounds was derived from a recent review that en-compassed 636 Amaryllidaceae alkaloids. After the in-silico study, it was possible to identify three alkaloids (zephycarinatine B, zephycarinatine H, and zephygrantine E) with multitarget active potential. These findings highlight the continued importance of these plant species as a source of compounds for studying NTD’s.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 4","pages":"2631 - 2658"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11101-025-10207-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147571243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review on phytochemical constituents, pharmacological properties and ethnic uses of Ailanthus excelsa Roxb","authors":"Kajal Ray,&nbsp;Ranjan Kumar Sahoo,&nbsp;Biswajit Samantaray,&nbsp;Biswakanth Kar","doi":"10.1007/s11101-025-10206-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-025-10206-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. (A. excelsa)</i>, a widely used medicinal plant in traditional healthcare systems, has gained attention for its diverse phytochemical composition and therapeutic potential. This review brings together current knowledge on the plant’s bioactive constituents, traditional applications, pharmacological properties, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and prospective pharmaceutical uses. An extensive literature survey was conducted using reputable databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, covering studies from 1960 to 2025. Supplementary insights were gathered from ethnobotanical records, pharmacopoeias, and classical botanical texts. More than 80 natural compounds have been found in different parts of the <i>A. excelsa</i>, like the bark, leaves, roots, and fruits. These compounds belong to several groups such as quassinoids, flavonoids, triterpenes, alkaloids, phenolics, steroids, fatty acids and proteins. Many of these substances have shown important medicinal activities, including the ability to lower blood sugar, fight cancer cells, treat malaria, kill harmful microbes, protect the liver, and reduce inflammation. Traditional uses encompass treatment of respiratory, gastrointestinal, infectious, and metabolic disorders. Although several ethnomedicinal claims have been scientifically substantiated, there is still a lack of comprehensive data on pharmacokinetics, toxicity, dosage optimization, and mechanistic pathways. The findings underscore <i>A. excelsa</i> as a promising candidate for drug discovery and formulation, particularly within advanced delivery systems like nanotechnology. Future interdisciplinary research is essential to fully elucidate its therapeutic potential and ensure its safe, evidence-based integration into modern medicine.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><p>Showing the traditional uses, phytoconstituent, formulation strategy, and pharmacological activity.</p>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 3","pages":"2583 - 2621"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced anti-inflammatory activity of 4-piperidone-based curcumin analogues: structure–activity relationships and mechanistic insights","authors":"Zi Han Loh,&nbsp;Ibrahim Jantan,&nbsp;Surat Laphookhieo,&nbsp;Zee Wei Lai,&nbsp;Lai Yen Fong,&nbsp;Siau Hui Mah","doi":"10.1007/s11101-025-10211-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-025-10211-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Curcumin, predominantly derived from <i>Curcuma longa</i>, is widely recognized for its anti-inflammatory properties. However, its clinical application is hindered by challenges such as poor stability and low bioavailability. To address these issues, extensive research has focused on modifying the structure of curcumin in order to enhance its stability and efficacy. Among the structurally-modified curcumin analogues, 4-piperidone-based curcumin analogues have emerged as promising candidates with significant anti-inflammatory potential. This review discusses about anti-inflammatory effects and the underlying mechanisms of these structurally modified 4-piperidone-based curcumin analogues, as well as their activities on several inflammation-related signaling pathways and pro-inflammatory mediators. Moreover, we also review about the structure–activity relationships of these analogues, providing new insights for the development of novel 4-piperidone-based curcuminoids. Piperidone-based curcumin analogues generally show significantly stronger anti-inflammatory effects compared to their linear 5-carbon linker counterparts. Notably, analogues containing <i>N</i>-methyl-4-piperidone linkers have demonstrated superior efficacy. The properties of substituents on both sides of aromatic side chain plays a significant role in modulating their anti-inflammatory activity. Beneficial groups such as methoxy groups, and electron-withdrawing substituents have been shown to enhance the anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing pro-inflammatory enzymes and cytokines via the regulation of key pathways, including LOX, COX, NF-κB and MAPK. Overall, these novel curcumin analogues hold significant potential as effective anti-inflammatory agents.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 4","pages":"2773 - 2793"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147571238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Post-harvest Storage Practices of dried Plant Materials (PhSPPMat) on Quality control and suggestive recommendations for Good Storage Practices (GSPs)","authors":"Mukta Satsangi,&nbsp;Naveen Reddy Penumallu,&nbsp;Bushra Parveen,&nbsp;Rabea Parveen,&nbsp;Akbar Ali,&nbsp;Sayeed Ahmad","doi":"10.1007/s11101-025-10213-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-025-10213-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Dried raw plant materials serve as starting materials for any plant-based product, encompassing diverse phytochemicals. Ensuring high quality of plant-based products requires not only good agricultural practices, but also careful post-harvest handling, particularly thorough <u>P</u>ost-<u>h</u>arvest <u>S</u>torage <u>P</u>ractices of Dried Raw <u>P</u>lant <u>Mat</u>erials (PhSPPMat). Storage conditions and duration profoundly affect the overall quality of dried raw plant materials. This first-ever comprehensive review summarises the changes in dried raw plant materials during their post-harvest storage. It enlightens the complex multifaceted interplay of different environmental influential factors such as temperature, humidity, light, packaging, and duration on the quality and shelf-life of dried raw plant materials. The review highlights changes in organoleptic traits, phytochemical content and composition, biological activity, and microbial load as intuitive indicators for quality evaluation of dried raw plant materials. The impact of storage is shown to be plant species-specific, part-specific, and compound-specific with certain chemical markers identified as potential storage quality-related. Moreover, few post-harvest storage related chemical markers specific to plants. We also suggested practical recommendations on good post-harvest storage practices and stability testing protocols of dried raw plant materials. The valuable insights presented here aim to guide and captivate researchers, plant-based industries, and consumers toward maintaining and utilizing dried plant materials of consistent quality.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 4","pages":"2795 - 2824"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147571251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silene genus: a review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology","authors":"Melek Nur Bilal,&nbsp;Vahap Murat Kutluay","doi":"10.1007/s11101-025-10208-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-025-10208-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Silene</i> species have attracted increasing scientific interest due to their long-standing traditional use for medicinal and nutritional purposes in regions such as Anatolia (Türkiye), Spain, and Italy. Several <i>Silene</i> species have been employed in traditional medicine to address conditions such as inflammation, bronchitis, colds, and infections, as well as for their diuretic, antipyretic, analgesic, emetic, anti-dandruff, wound-cleansing, and lice-repellent properties. Phytochemical investigations of the <i>Silene</i> genus have led to the isolation of a wide range of secondary metabolites, including phytoecdysteroids, triterpenoid saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanidins, and sterols. These compounds contribute to the diverse biological activities exhibited by the genus, such as antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, antitumor, immunomodulatory, adaptogenic, and actoprotective effects. Despite the substantial body of research on the <i>Silene</i> genus, many species remain unexplored, with their phytochemical profiles and biological activities yet to be fully investigated. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the existing literature on <i>Silene</i>, summarizing its phytochemical composition and the biological activity studies conducted to date.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 4","pages":"2659 - 2743"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147571244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Essential oils: antimicrobial, antioxidant properties, and their applications in food preservation—a comprehensive review","authors":"Dina Mostafa Mohammed,&nbsp;Maha B. Salem,&nbsp;Mohamed Elzallat,&nbsp;Samar Sami Alkafaas,&nbsp;Heba M. Salem,&nbsp;Fawze Alnadari,&nbsp;Essam H. Ibrahim,&nbsp;Amr Elkelish,&nbsp;Shaimaa H. Negm,&nbsp;Ahmed M. Saad,&nbsp;Synan F. AbuQamar,&nbsp;Khaled A. El-Tarabily,&nbsp;Mohamed T. El-Saadony","doi":"10.1007/s11101-025-10202-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11101-025-10202-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Essential oils (EOs) are strongly scented, complex, volatile, naturally occurring metabolites that aromatic plants form. The primary chemicals found in EOs exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties, which enable these oils to enhance the shelf life and safety of food. The bioactive properties of EOs are generally determined by their major constituents. The biological activity of EOs is comparable to that of synthetic pharmaceuticals. However, using EOs in the food or pharmaceutical sectors as supplements, preservatives, or antioxidants requires further research. Certain chemical additives and synthetic preservatives are toxic and can cause cancer and other degenerative disorders. Therefore, new solutions for food preservation are currently being developed. Moreover, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about their health and are opting to purchase healthier goods with natural ingredients and preservatives rather than those containing artificial ones. Therefore, it is necessary to find natural substitutes that are antibacterial and compatible with food. Here, we reviewed the phenolic chemicals of EOs because these are typically responsible for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In addition, we examined the main bioactive components of various types of EOs along with their pharmacological, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties relevant to food preservation. In addition to improving food's shelf life and safety, certain types of EOs derived from different traditional plants have superior antibacterial and antioxidant activities. The main classes of EOs are terpenes and aromatic volatile chemicals, enhancing food safety without compromising quality. Their numerous properties enable EOs to serve as substitutes for preservatives, thereby extending the shelf life of food products. The primary aim of this review is to explore the potential of EOs as natural, safe, and effective alternatives to synthetic preservatives and chemical additives in the food and pharmaceutical industries.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":733,"journal":{"name":"Phytochemistry Reviews","volume":"25 3","pages":"2439 - 2487"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147560683","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}