Medicinal Plant Research 2025, Vol.15, No.6, 264-273 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 265 Over the past two decades, great advances have been achieved in the identification of phenylpropanoid compounds and their corresponding biosynthetic genes. However, several scientific challenges are yet to be surmounted: first, the metabolic network is highly complex, with many parallel and branched pathways and enzyme families with redundant or specialized functions; second, the spatial and temporal distribution of metabolites within tissues, during development, and under different environmental conditions has remained incompletely characterized; and third, although transcriptome and metabolome studies have identified key metabolic signatures, the functional validation of enzymes, transcription factors, and regulatory modules remains unfinished. Besides, the differences caused by cultivation region, processing method, and germplasm variation further complicate the association between phenotype and genotype and quality chemicals. Advanced multi-omics integration, gene-function verification systems, and synthetic biology approaches are called for to respond to this requirement (Xu et al., 2019; Chen et al., 2024). This study offers a comprehensive overview of recent advances made in research into phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in A. sinensis. It identifies major categories of phenylpropanoids according to their chemical features, distribution patterns, and pharmacological relevance. Current knowledge on core biosynthetic pathways is then summarized, including the catalytic function of key enzymes and the biochemical processes underpinning structural diversification. This study hopes to provide an integrated foundation for future research and practical innovation in the metabolic study and utilization of phenylpropanoids in A. sinensis. 2 Types and Chemical Characteristics of Phenylpropanoid Compounds inAngelica sinensis 2.1 Major categories of compounds It is rich in various phenylpropanoid-derived secondary metabolites. There are three major classes of compounds: phthalides, coumarins, and lignans. The phthalides, mainly ligustilide, butylidenephthalide, and ferulic acid derivatives, are the most prevalent and pharmacologically important constituents, often playing roles as quality markers of the herb (Xu et al., 2019; Sun et al., 2024; Zou et al., 2024). The coumarins, such as osthole and umbelliferone, are major compounds contributing to the medicinal properties, showing a great variety of structures (Han et al., 2022; Li et al., 2023). Lignans are relatively less present but similarly contribute to the chemical complexity and bioactivity of A. sinensis. 2.2 Structural features and structure-function relationships Phthalides in A. sinensis range from simple monomers to complex dimers and polymers, covering various ring size variations, substituents, and stereochemistries. These structural diversities greatly affect their bioactivities; for example, dimeric phthalides often exhibit strong anti-inflammatory activities compared with monomers. Wen et al. (2025), Zhang et al. (2025), and Zou et al. (2024) reported that the position and configuration of chiral centers in phthalide molecules may cause significant changes in the bioactivity and pharmacokinetics of phthalides. Coumarins contain a benzopyrone skeleton, and their functionalization-one or more furan or pyran rings-affects antioxidant, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities. Han et al. (2022) and Li et al. (2023) reported that lignans, which contain characteristic dimeric phenylpropanoid skeletons, exert additional antioxidant and estrogenic activities. 2.3 Variations in compound contents among plant organs, geographical origins, and processing methods The content and distribution of phenylpropanoids vary significantly among different organs of the plant, their geographical origins, and the method adopted for their processing. For instance, ferulic acid and ligustilide were distributed unevenly in the head, body, and tail of the root, with mostly higher contents of ferulic acid in the tail (Xu et al., 2019; Qin et al., 2024). Geographical origin controls the accumulation of key compounds, since this factor depends on environmental factors such as nutrient content in the soil and climatic conditions that determine metabolic profile (Jing et al., 2024; Sun et al., 2024; Yu et al., 2025). Xu et al. (2020) Stir-frying and vinegar treatments are capable of further modifying its chemical composition, increasing the contents of some phenolic acids and coumarins, which are associated with enhanced antioxidant activities. These variations affect the quality control and therapeutic consistency of the medicine (Chen et al., 2023).
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