Secondary metabolites, a chemical language of plants

Abstract

Plant secondary metabolites have been studied for at least 100 years. They are a product of plant evolution. Plants that contain these metabolites have been used for various purposes, such as in pharmacology to produce medicines, and in agriculture to produce insecticides. They have also been used as spices derived from plant material. This document aims to highlight the wide diversity of plants that produce secondary metabolites used by humans. It also emphasizes that these chemical compounds fulfil essential functions in ecological interactions: such as facilitating communication between plants and their relationship with other organisms, as well as their adaptation to their physical surroundings.