Impact of growth and environmental factors on secondary metabolites in medicinal plants: A Literature Review

Medicinal plants, a source of different phytochemical compounds, are now subjected to a variety of environmental stresses during their growth and development. Different ecologically limiting factors including temperature, carbon dioxide, lighting, ozone, soil water, soil salinity and soil fertility has significant impact on medicinal plants′ physiological and biochemical responses, as well as the secondary metabolic process.Plant secondary metabolites (SMs) are not only a useful array of natural products but also an important part of plant defense system against pathogenic attacks and environmental stresses. With remarkable biological activities, plant SMs are increasingly used as medicine ingredients and food additives for therapeutic, aromatic and culinary purposes. Various genetic, ontogenic, morphogenetic and environmental factors can influence the biosynthesis and accumulation of SMs. They are also important indicators for evaluating the quality of medicinal materials. However, the synthesis andaccumulation of SMs are very complex, which are affected by many factors including internal developmental genetic circuits (regulated gene, enzyme) and by external environment factors. Currently, lots of literatures focused on the effect of environmental factors on the synthesis and accumulation of SMs of medicinal plants, the effect of the developmental growth and genetic factors on the synthesis and accumulation of SMs still lack systematic classification and summary. Here, we have given the review the morphological development of medicinal plants and their secondary metabolites, and systematically outlined the literature reports how different environmental factors affected the synthesis and accumulation of SMs. and Purpose of the study An illustrated review of factors that influence secondary metabolism of plants and their impacts on therapeutic efficacy changes along with environmental factors. A comprehensive literature review, consulting books, technical newsletters, herb magazines, journals, and many other sources. Health professionals like qualified doctors, herbal specialists, folk healers, alternative medicine specialists given their valuable suggestions. The results of our reviews can know how developmental and environmental factors qualitatively and quantitatively influence SMs of medicinal plants and how these can be integrated as tools to quality control, as well as on the improvement of clinical curative effects by altering their genomes, and/or growth conditions.

Keywords:

Medicinal plant , Secondary metabolites , Growth and development , Environmental factors.