Exploring Plant Phenolic, Functional Roles, Extraction and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Plant produce phenolic compounds as part of their secondary metabolism. They are essential for plant growth, development and protection. Phenolic compounds have many types such as flavonoids, tannins, lignans , stilbenes and many more.They occur in many structural forms and are produced by through specific biosynthetic pathways . These pathways by which phenolic acids are produced are shikimic acid pathway and aceto-malonate pathway. These pathways supply the necessary precursors for a diverse range of phenolic compounds in plants and microorganisms. Plant phenolics compounds exhibit a dual role function attracting symbiotic microbes and pollinators while simultaneously repelling pests and herbivores. Plant use phenolic compounds to protect plants against abiotic stress by collecting them in response to factors like drought, oxidative stress, salinity and extreme temperatures. Because of their high antioxidants characteristics these  compounds are most abundantly used in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, textile and food industries.