Progress based on a multi-omics research strategy in the biosynthesis and modernization of active ingredients of Herpetospermum pedunculosum seeds.

ABSTRACT

Herpetospermum pedunculosum seeds also known as Herpetospermum caudigerum Wall. is the mature seed of the Herpetospermum pedunculosum(Ser.) C. B. Clarke,Cucurbitaceae. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that H. pedunculosum has hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-gout and antibacterial pharmacological activities. The biologically active chemical components include lignin compounds such as Herpetin, Herpetetrone, Herpetoriol and so on. The natural product displays considerable skeletal diversity and structural complexity, offering significant opportunities for novel drug discovery. Based on the multi-omics research strategy and the 'gene-protein-metabolite' research framework, the biosynthetic pathway of terpenoids and lignans in H. pedunculosum has has been elucidated at multiple levels. These approaches provide comprehensive genetic information for cloning and identification of pertinent enzyme genes. Furthermore, the application of multi-omics integrative approaches provides a scientific means to elucidate entire secondary metabolic pathways. We investigated the biosynthetic pathways of lignin and terpene components in H. pedunculosum and conducted bioinformatics analysis of the crucial enzyme genes involved in the biosynthetic process using genomic and transcriptomic data. We identified candidate genes for six key enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway. This review reports on the current literature on pharmacological investigations of H. pedunculosum, proposing its potential as an antidiabetic agent. Moreover, we conclude, for the first time, the identification of key enzyme genes potentially involved in the biosynthesis of active compounds in H. pedunculosum. This review provides a scientific foundation for the discovery of novel therapeutic agents from natural sources.