Credit: Horticulture Research
Secondary metabolites from plants play a crucial role in various aspects of daily life and find wide applications in medicine, chemistry, food, and cosmetics. For instance, secondary metabolites from medicinal plants like Panax ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, and Taxus wallichiana serve as key ingredients in pharmaceutical formulations, offering therapeutic benefits for treating a range of diseases. Additionally, plants such as Isatis tinctoria, Rubia cordifolia, and Tulipa × gesneriana are utilized as natural dyes to impart vibrant colors to textiles and other materials. In the food industry, plant secondary metabolites are incorporated into products for flavoring, preservation, and nutritional enhancement, with examples including Vanilla planifolia, Vitis vinifera, and various Vaccinium species. Furthermore, these compounds are integral to the cosmetics industry, where their beneficial properties and pleasant aromas are utilized in skincare, perfumes, and other beauty products. Common plants like Rhodiola rosea, Glycyrrhiza glabra, and Aloe vera contribute to this aspect.