The Influence of Environmental Pollution on Secondary Metabolite Production in Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities cause environmental degradation leading to deterioration through depletion of resources such as air, water, and soil. This subsequently leads to negative effects on biotic components including plants. Anthropogenic activities generate several pollutants such as solid wastes, sewage, heavy metals, and toxic gases which exert a major impact on the primary and secondary metabolism of plants and ultimately on growth. Secondary metabolites are the key components in plants’ response to different environmental stresses and play an important role in alleviating the negative impacts of stresses. Several researchers have reported the effects of different environmental factors on the level of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. However, limited literature is available on the impact of environmental pollutants on secondary metabolite production in medicinal plants. Chapter 9 aims to summarize the available literature on the impact of environmental pollution and adaption strategies developed by plants for their survival.