Licorice is a traditional medicine commonly used in China and many other countries. Over the last 50 years, the structure and pharmacological effects of coumarin compounds in licorice have been investigated. However, a comprehensive review of the literature summarizing current trends is currently lacking. Thus, the aim of the present review is to provide an up-to-date summary of the scientific literature regarding the pharmacological effects of coumarin compounds in licorice, thereby laying the foundation for further research and optimal utilization of licorice. We retrieved 111 articles on the coumarin components of licorice and their potential pharmacological effects, based on titles, keywords, and abstracts from databases (including PubMed and Web of Science). Glycycoumarin, isoglycycoumarin, licoarylcoumarin, licopyranocoumarin, glycyrin, isotrifoliol, glycyrol, and glycyrurol have been investigated for their anticancer, hepatoprotective, antispasmodic, immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties, and use as therapeutic agents in metabolic syndrome, thereby demonstrating their potential for clinical applications. Future research should further explore the pharmacological mechanisms of action of coumarin compounds, including their antibacterial activities. Investigations into the pharmacological activities of different glycycoumarin isomers might open new research frontiers.

Crocins are a group of highly valuable water-soluble carotenoids that are reported to have many pharmacological activities, such as anticancer properties, and the potential for treating neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease. Crocins are mainly biosynthesized in the stigmas of food–medicine herbs Crocus sativus L. and Gardenia jasminoides fruits. The distribution is narrow in nature and deficient in resources, which are scarce and expensive. Recently, the synthesis of metabolites in the heterologous host has opened up the potential for large-scale and sustainable production of crocins, especially for the main active compounds crocin I and crocin II. In this study, GjCCD4a, GjALDH2C3, GjUGT74F8, and GjUGT94E13 from G. jasminoides fruits were expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. The highest total content of crocins in T1 generation tobacco can reach 78,362 ng/g FW (fresh weight) and the dry weight is expected to reach 1,058,945 ng/g DW (dry weight). Surprisingly, the primary effective constituents crocin I and crocin II can account for 99% of the total crocins in transgenic plants. The strategy mentioned here provides an alternative platform for the scale-up production of crocin I and crocin II in tobacco.

Presently, the utilization of chlormequat in Astragalus mongholicus Bunge (Leguminosae) cultivation is prevalent for augmenting rhizome (Astragali Radix) yield. However, indiscriminate and excessive chlormequat employment can detrimentally influence Astragali Radix quality and safety. This research aimed to comprehensively comprehend chlormequat risks and its influence on Astragali Radix metabolites. Diverse chlormequat concentrations were employed in Astragalus mongholicus cultivation, with subsequent analysis of residual chlormequat levels in Astragali Radix across treatment groups. Astragali Radix metabolic profiling was conducted through UPLC-QTOF-MS, and thirteen principal active components were quantified via UFLC-MS/MS. Findings revealed a direct correlation between chlormequat residue levels in Astragali Radix and application concentration, with high-dose residue surpassing 5.0 mg/kg. Metabolomics analysis identified twenty-six distinct saponin and flavonoid metabolites. Notably, the application of chlormequat led to the upregulation of seven saponins (e.g., astragaloside I and II) and downregulation of six flavonoids (e.g., methylnissolin-3-O-glucoside and astraisoflavan-7-O-β-d-glucoside). Quantitative analysis demonstrated variable contents of active ingredients due to differing chlormequat concentrations, leading to astragaloside I increase (14.59–62.55%) and isoastragaloside II increase (4.8–55.63%), while methylnissolin-3-O-glucoside decreased (22.18–41.69%), as did astraisoflavan-7-O-β-d-glucoside (21.09–47.78%). In conclusion, chlormequat application influenced multiple active components in Astragali Radix, causing constituent proportion variations. Elevated chlormequat concentrations led to increased active components alongside heightened chlormequat residues in Astragali Radix. Consequently, prudent chlormequat application during Astragali Radix production is imperative to avert potential detriments to its quality and safety.

RNA silencing regulates diverse cellular processes in plants. Argonaute (AGO), Dicer-like (DCL), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDR) proteins are core components of RNA interference (RNAi). Despite their functional significance, the systematic identification and characterization of these families have remained largely unexplored in Siraitia grosvenorii. Using HMMER and Pfam analyses, we identified six SgAGO, four SgDCL, and six SgRDR genes. Phylogenetic analysis classified SgAGOs, SgDCLs, and SgRDRs into five, four, and four clades, respectively, all of which clustered closely with homologs from other Cucurbitaceae species, demonstrating lineage-specific evolutionary conservation. Promoter cis-element analysis revealed the significant enrichment of hormonal (methyl jasmonate, abscisic acid) and stress-responsive (light, hypoxia) elements, indicating their roles in environmental adaptation. Tissue-specific expression profiling showed that most SgAGO, SgDCL, and SgRDR genes were highly expressed in flowers and mid-stage fruits (35 days after pollination), while SgAGO10.1 exhibited stem-specific expression. By contrast, SgRDR1.2 displayed no tissue specificity. Notably, sex-biased expression patterns in dioecious flowers suggested the RNAi-mediated regulation of gametophyte development and their potential roles in reproductive and secondary metabolic processes. This study lays the foundation for further exploration of RNAi machinery’s role in coordinating mogroside biosynthesis and stress resilience in S. grosvenorii while providing potential targets for genetic improvement.

Crocins are high-value apocarotenoid pigments with broad applications in pharmaceuticals, foods, and personal-care products, and they exhibit diverse bioactivities, including antioxidant, antidepressant, and antidementia effects. In this study, we achieved the heterologous biosynthesis of crocins in Solanum lycopersicum L. by introducing the GjCCD4a, GjALDH2C3, GjUGT74F8 and GjUGT94E13 of Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis to the binary expression vector via in-fusion technology and self-cleaving 2A peptides. Following Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, the engineered tomato plants predominantly produced main active ingredient crocin I, which accounted for 97–99% of the total crocins. The transgenic fruits displayed mixed red-and-golden colouration. These results highlight S. lycopersicum as a promising chassis for crocin I biosynthesis, helping to address supply constraints and enabling colour-trait breeding through synthetic biology.

Artemisia annua L., the primary source of the antimalarial compound artemisinin, is of great importance for malaria treatment. However, its self-incompatibility (SI) restricts selfing breeding and results in unstable artemisinin content which is vulnerable to environmental fluctuations. To address this, our study employed fluorescence microscopy and transcriptomic analysis on stigmas post self- and cross-pollination to explore the molecular mechanisms of SI in Artemisia annua L. Fluorescence microscopy observations indicate that, three hours after pollination, cross-pollinated pollen tubes mostly exhibit normal filamentous growth, whereas the growth of self-pollinated pollen tubes is significantly inhibited, with most appearing as growth-arrested pollen tubes. Using transcriptome analysis, we generated approximately 25.03 GB of data assembled into 69,498 genes and identified 620 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 10 classified as SI response genes. Several specific SI-related candidate genes were identified, such as the S-locus receptor kinase (SRK), Calmodulin-like (CML), modifier (MOD), and exocyst complex component (EXO) genes, between AasB and AahA. These DEGs provide vital information for studying A. annua’s SI molecular mechanisms. The putative DEGs between the two groups provided important information for a further study of the molecular mechanisms of SI in A. annua. Candidate SI-associated genes are essential for the genetic engineering of A. annua to overcome SI and to avoid breeding inbred lines.