title: Natural products from resurrection plants: potential for medical applications.
abstract: Resurrection species are a group of land plants that can tolerate extreme desiccation of their vegetative tissues during harsh drought stress, and still quickly - often within hours - regain normal physiological and metabolic functions following rehydration. At the molecular level, this desiccation tolerance is attributed to basal cellular mechanisms including the constitutive expression of stress-associated genes and high levels of protective metabolites present already in the absence of stress, as well as to transcriptome and metabolome reconfigurations rapidly occurring during the initial phases of drought stress. Parts of this response are conferred by unique metabolites, including a diverse array of sugars, phenolic compounds, and polyols, some of which accumulate to high concentrations within the plant cell. In addition to drought stress, these metabolites are proposed to contribute to the protection against other abiotic stresses and to an increased oxidative stress tolerance. Recently, extracts of resurrection species and particular secondary metabolites therein were reported to display biological activities of importance to medicine, with e.g. antibacterial, anticancer, antifungal, and antiviral activities, rendering them possible candidates for the development of novel drug substances as well as for cosmetics. Herein, we provide an overview of the metabolite composition of resurrection species, summarize the latest reports related to the use of natural products from resurrection plants, and outline their potential for medical applications.
authors.affiliation: University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Department of Molecular Biology, Karl-Liebknecht str. 24-25, Haus 20, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Ruski Blvd. 105, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria; Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Plant Signalling Group, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany. Electronic address: gechev@mpimp-golm.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Tsanko S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Gechev
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hille
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Herman J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Woerdenbag
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Ruski Blvd. 105, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benina
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Plovdiv, Department of Medical Biology, Vasil Aprilov Blvd. 15a, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehterov
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Ruski Blvd. 105, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Toneva
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Central Metabolism Group, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
authors.forename: Alisdair R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fernie
authors.affiliation: University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Department of Molecular Biology, Karl-Liebknecht str. 24-25, Haus 20, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Plant Signalling Group, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mueller-Roeber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002460:Cell Line; D032181:Craterostigma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D060847:Metabolic Engineering; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antibacterial; Anticancer; Antifungal; Antiviral; Natural product; Resurrection plant; Secondary metabolite; Synthetic biology