Orthoquinone, Cyclic, and Acyclic α‐Diketone Natural Products: From Food Applications to Pharmacotherapy

ABSTRACT The structural diversity of natural products is vast and fascinating, and they have been recognized as an enormously diverse source of new lead compounds. Many bioactive secondary metabolites have a 1,2‐carbonyl pharmacophore in which the orthoquinone moieties are normally associated with interacting with and molecularly recognizing the cellular target. For therapeutic effects, especially antimicrobial effects, the presence of orthoquinone entities is crucial and in some cases necessary. This review will describe orthoquinone natural products and their use in the food packaging industry along with their other therapeutic properties. Natural products are considered one of the most important sources of approved drugs with diverse mechanisms of action. The orthoquinone moiety enhances bioavailability, biological potential, and stability in many pharmacologically active natural products. The vast majority of the orthoquinone metabolites were found to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiviral, cytotoxic, and anti‐inflammatory effects. In particular, significant antimicrobial potential towards various microorganisms, especially foodborne pathogens and plant pathogens, is demonstrated by numerous orthoquinones presented in this review. Their antimicrobial effects suggest that they could be used as natural food preserving agents to eliminate or control growth of pathogens and spoilage organisms.

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