Globally, medicinal plant natural products (PNPs) are a major source of substances used in traditional and modern medicine. As we human race face the tremendous public health challenge posed by emerging infectious diseases, antibiotic resistance and surging drug prices etc., harnessing the healing power of medicinal plants gifted from mother nature is more urgent than ever in helping us survive future challenge in a sustainable way. PNP research efforts in the pre-genomic era focus on discovering bioactive molecules with pharmaceutical activities, and identifying individual genes responsible for biosynthesis. Critically, systemic biological, multi- and inter-disciplinary approaches integrating and interrogating all accessible data from genomics, metabolomics, structural biology, and chemical informatics are necessary to accelerate the full characterization of biosynthetic and regulatory circuitry for producing PNPs in medicinal plants. In this review, we attempt to provide a brief update on the current research of PNPs in medicinal plants by focusing on how different state-of-the-art biotechnologies facilitate their discovery, the molecular basis of their biosynthesis, as well as synthetic biology. Finally, we humbly provide a foresight of the research trend for understanding the biology of medicinal plants in the coming decades.

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药用植物天然产物：后基因组时代的生物合成与生物工程

在全球范围内，药用植物天然产物 (PNP) 是传统和现代医学中使用的物质的主要来源。当我们人类面临新发传染病、抗生素耐药性和飙升的药品价格等带来的巨大公共卫生挑战时，利用大自然赐予的药用植物的治愈能力比以往任何时候都更加紧迫，以帮助我们以可持续的方式应对未来的挑战方式。PNP 在前基因组时代的研究重点是发现具有药物活性的生物活性分子，并确定负责生物合成的单个基因。至关重要的是，系统的生物学、多学科和跨学科方法整合和询问来自基因组学、代谢组学、结构生物学的所有可访问数据，和化学信息学对于加速在药用植物中生产 PNP 的生物合成和调节电路的全面表征是必要的。在这篇综述中，我们试图通过关注不同的最先进的生物技术如何促进它们的发现、它们生物合成的分子基础以及合成生物学，来简要介绍药用植物中 PNP 的当前研究。最后，我们谦虚地展望了未来几十年理解药用植物生物学的研究趋势。它们的生物合成的分子基础，以及合成生物学。最后，我们谦虚地展望了未来几十年了解药用植物生物学的研究趋势。它们的生物合成的分子基础，以及合成生物学。最后，我们谦虚地展望了未来几十年了解药用植物生物学的研究趋势。