Ecophytochemical investigation of secondary compounds of medicinal plants and their role in pest control

Subject Areas : Phytochemistry

mahboobeh sharifi ^{1 *} , Daryoush Mansouri Razi ² , Fatemeh Sadat Hosseini ³ , Korosh Ghaderi ⁴

1 - Plant Protection Research Department, Golestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Gorgan, Iran.
2 - Master's degree in Agricultural Entomology, Department of Horticulture and Plant Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran.
3 - Export of Plant Protection Research Department, Golestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Gorgan, Iran.
4 - Export of Plant Protection Research Department, Golestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Gorgan, Iran.

Received: 2025-10-12 Accepted : 2025-12-13 Published : 2025-12-21

Keywords: plant secondary compounds, ecophytochemistry, biopesticides, medicinal plants, integrated pest management,

Abstract :

As metabolic products that are not only essential for the initial growth of plants, but also are vital for adaptation and survival, plant secondary compounds play an important role in the natural defense of medicinal plants against pests. These compounds, which include alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and saponins, can effectively reduce pest populations through mechanisms such as insecticidal properties, feeding inhibition, growth and development disruption, and repellent effects. Ecophytochemical evidence shows that the production rate and pattern of these metabolites change under the influence of environmental factors such as temperature, light, humidity, and biotic and abiotic stresses. This review, focusing on reliable international and regional sources, examines the diversity of secondary compounds, their mechanisms of action, practical applications, and challenges in their use for pest management, and also discusses their future prospects as sustainable biopesticides. The summarized findings indicate that secondary compounds of medicinal plants can be considered as a potential and eco-friendly option to reduce the use of chemical pesticides. However, limitations such as the low stability of some essential oils in the environment, differences in performance between laboratory and field conditions, and the need for new technologies in the field of extraction and formulation are among the obstacles that should be considered in future research.

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