Phenylpropanoids as a class of natural biologically active organo-protective compounds

The aim of the work was to analyze the current research state of phenylpropanoids as a special specific class of biologically active compounds and the prospects for their use for the development of medicines and biologically active food additives.

Materials and methods. The scientific data for the period from 1968 to 2023 were studied in the databases of Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, e-library.ru, ResearchGate – a scientific information network. Herewith, the following keywords were used: “phenylpropanoids”, “antioxidants”, “hepatoprotectors”, “immunomodulators”, “organoprotectors”, “anxiolytics”, “adaptogens”, “preventive medicine”, “sanogenesis”, “medicines”, “biologically active food additives”, “sports medicine” and their English-language analogues.

Results. This scientific research examines the main stages and results of studying the class of phenylpropanoids in the following aspects: a chemical structure and classification, biosynthesis and its role in the biogenesis of other classes of phenolic compounds, their distribution, biological and pharmacological activity in the plant world, the search for plant sources and their use in medicine and pharmacy. The existing and potential applications of phenylpropanoids for preventive and therapeutic purposes are discussed.

Conclusion. The analysis of the scientific publications on the pharmacognostic and biomedical studies of the medicinal plants containing phenylpropanoids, substantiates the expediency of considering them as an autonomous specific class of biologically active compounds. The organoprotective profile of their action and a wide range of specific pharmacological activities of phenylpropanoids are connected by common links of the sanogenesis in the “prooxidant–antioxidant” system. The choosing of promising plant sources for the development of medicines and biologically active compounds with specified properties is justified from the dependence position of “chemical composition – structure of compounds – spectrum of activity”.

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