Metabolites are chemical substances isolated from living organisms and can come from microbes, plant or animal sources. Metabolites are mainly divided into primary metabolites and secondary metabolites. Examples of primary metabolites are amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids and organic acids, which are involved in the application of nourishment. Compared with primary metabolites, secondary metabolites are more abundant. Secondary metabolites have been used as an valuable source of early drug discovery. Their interesting medicinal uses have been well-documented for thousands of years. In the mid-20th century, with the development of complex analytical techniques such as chromatography, a large number of secondary metabolites were discovered and characterized such as terpenoids and phenolics. They exhibit a variety of unique properties, such as bactericidal properties, antioxidant properties, fragrances, and colors. These characteristics of secondary metabolites bring new possibilities for the development of many fields, including medicine, food, agriculture, cosmetics and industry. The wide application of metabolites in multiple fields benefits from their advantages that cannot be achieved with chemically synthesized products. Their advantages are briefly described as follows.
- Metabolites are viewed as more biologically friendly, that is less toxic to normal cells.
- Metabolites are obtained from plants or microorganisms, which are abundant and renewable in nature.
- The extraction of metabolites is considered to be environmentally friendly, which does not cause environmental contamination.
As a specialist in metabolites, Alfa Chemistry has the ability to provide a growing range of assistance about metabolites applications for customers in different fields. To learn more about the role of metabolites in academic research and production, please see the application list below.
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