Phytochemical Properties and Pharmacological Role of Plants: Secondary Metabolites

Abstract

Over the past decades, there has been increasing attention tothe study of medicinal plants that contain many phytochemicals beneficial for human health. A number of secondary metabolites derived from various plants have been used as drug components to treat several human disorders since ancient times. The traditional therapeutic applications of secondary metabolites have been reported in the whole world. Numerous bioactive phytochemicals constituents have been identified and isolated using many advanced techniques. These bioactive phytochemicals are responsible for many pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, anti-allergic, and antimicrobial infection. These secondary metabolites are not only beneficial for human health but also protect plants themselves from biotic and abiotic stress. These secondary metabolites are classified into many subclasses like terpenoids, alkaloids and phenolics. Each class of secondary metabolites has its pharmacological activities, which is required to be studied thoroughly for better use in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, and other industries. Therefore, this review paper represents many medicinal plants that contain bioactive secondary metabolites and show pharmacological activities, which provides an opportunity to utilize them for improvement of human health and discover new herbal medicines.