Progress on synthesis of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids in sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

Abstract

Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is a 2,000-year-old perennial rhizome aquatic crop that is primarily employed as a food and drug dual-use crop in East Asia. One of the key bioactive components of sacred lotus is benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs). Existing research has demonstrated that they have therapeutic and preventive benefits on obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Despite their broad pharmacological relevance, the metabolism of BIA in sacred lotus has received little attention. We reviewed the biosynthetic process of the BIA in sacred lotus in this research. We concluded that a thorough functional characterization of BIAs biosynthesis enzymes provides a wide range of significant therapeutic applications for sacred lotus.

Keywords

• benzylisoquinoline alkaloids
• nelumbo nucifera
• sacred lotus
• biosynthesis