phytomedicine
Phytomedicine is the scientific study and application of plant-derived compounds for therapeutic purposes, encompassing the pharmacological investigation of medicinal plants used in traditional and modern healthcare. For plant science, it bridges botanical research with biochemistry and pharmacology, driving investigation into the biosynthesis, isolation, and characterization of bioactive secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Understanding how plants produce these compounds has broad implications for crop improvement, conservation of medicinal species, and the development of evidence-based herbal treatments.
open_in_new WikipediaEurope PMC · 2026-02-06
Scientists have discovered that plants use the same iron-triggered self-destruction process — called ferroptosis — that animals do, and that compounds plants naturally produce to survive stress can manipulate this process in human cancer and nerve cells, pointing toward new medicines and crop protection strategies.
Iron-dependent cell death (ferroptosis) is active in plants and plays a pivotal role in their responses to both biological threats (pathogens) and environmental stresses (drought, heat), not just in animals.
Three interconnected mechanisms drive plant ferroptosis: disrupted iron metabolism, oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and breakdown of antioxidant defense systems.
Plant-derived bioactive compounds can modulate ferroptosis pathways and show demonstrated potential against ferroptosis-linked human diseases including cancer, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions.