2025-07-03 PHYTOCHEMISTRY REVIEWS 2025 null(卷), null(期), (null页)
Plants species belonging to the Crassulaceae are widely used in traditional medicine and for ornamental purposes. Due to the succulence and to the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), they are able to grow in arid climates and to withstand extreme temperatures. Alongside the commonly reported flavonoids and other phenolic compounds as well as steroidal derivatives, they are also able to produce nitrogenous metabolites, mainly alkaloids and hydroxynitrile glycosides (HNGs). This review focuses on the structures, biosynthetic pathways and biological activity of such compounds identified in this botanical family. As most of the published works are issued from the pre-metabolomic area, it highlights the need for further research and in-depth exploration by implementation of modern hyphenated techniques.