Ecological Mechanisms of Sexual Dimorphism-Driven Secondary Metabolic Differentiation in Dioecious Medicinal Plants and Their Implications for Medicinal Material Quality

doi:10.7525/j.issn.1673-5102.2026.05.003

Abstract

Abstract:

Sexual dimorphism in dioecious plants reflects divergent reproductive strategies and profoundly influences resource allocation and secondary metabolism. However， the effects of sexual dimorphism on the chemical composition， medicinal quality， and underlying ecological mechanisms of medicinal plants remain insufficiently understood. This review summarized recent advances regarding sexual dimorphism in the secondary metabolites of dioecious medicinal plants. This paper focused on the ecological and molecular mechanisms driving sex-specific metabolic differentiation， including resource allocation strategies， phytohormone regulation， transcriptional networks， and environmental interactions. Furthermore， this paper explored the implications of plant sex for medicinal material quality control and the formation of bioactive constituents. Current evidence indicates that plant sex significantly influences the composition and accumulation of diverse secondary metabolites， promoting sex-specific chemotypes through coordinated regulation of resource acquisition and allocation， environmental adaptation， and metabolic reprogramming. Plant sex represents a critical biological factor influencing medicinal quality and contributing to chemical variation in medicinal materials. However， sex-related chemical variations exhibit strong species-specificity and environmental dependence， and their direct effects on pharmacological efficacy and clinical applications lack sufficient empirical support. Future research should foster interdisciplinary integration among plant ecology， chemical ecology， plant metabolic biology， and pharmaceutical sciences. By combining multi-omics approaches， long-term ecological observations， and standardized bioactivity evaluations， future studies should establish a conceptual framework linking plant sex， resource acquisition and allocation， secondary metabolic networks， and medicinal quality. Such efforts will elucidate the ecological mechanisms underlying sex-driven medicinal quality formation and provide theoretical foundations for the precise utilization of dioecious medicinal plant resources， quality control of traditional Chinese medicines， and their modernization.

Key words: dioecious plants, sexual dimorphism, secondary metabolites, quality control of traditional Chinese medicines, medicinal plants

CLC Number:

Q945

Ting XIE, Jian GENG, Haojie GAO, Zeping WANG, Juan CHEN, Zhichao XIA. Ecological Mechanisms of Sexual Dimorphism-Driven Secondary Metabolic Differentiation in Dioecious Medicinal Plants and Their Implications for Medicinal Material Quality[J]. Bulletin of Botanical Research, 2026, 46(5): 802-812.

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植物物种 Plant species	组织部位 Plant organ	主要差异成分 Primary differential components	含量优势性别 Sex with higher contents	参考文献 References
紫柳 Salix purpurea	花序（雄、雌柔荑花序）	萜类挥发物、苯类化合物、酚苷、黄酮类	雌株黄酮和查尔酮类物质含量较高；雄株萜类和酚苷含量较高	［20］
栝楼 Trichosanthes kirilowii	花芽	激素转导、糖代谢相关差异表达基因	雄性偏向	［18］
栝楼 Trichosanthes kirilowii	叶片	水溶性酚类、内源激素（GA₃、IAA）	雌株	［27］
杜仲 Eucommia ulmoides	叶片	绿原酸、原儿茶酸	雄株	［25］
杜仲 Eucommia ulmoides	皮层和叶片	α-亚麻酸代谢通路相关代谢物；黄酮类	雄株皮层；雄株叶片	［15］
银杏 Ginkgo biloba	叶片（成熟期）	萜内酯、黄酮醇苷	雌株	［17］
银杏 Ginkgo biloba	叶片	黄酮、银杏内酯	品种间差异显著（与性别无显著关联）	［31］
乳香黄连木 Pistacia lentiscus	叶片	α-蒎烯、樟烯、β-月桂烯	雄株	［30］
心叶青牛胆 Tinospora cordifolia	茎	木兰碱、药根碱、oblongine	雄株	［28］
心叶青牛胆 Tinospora cordifolia	茎	四氢帕马丁、去甲乌药碱、网叶番荔枝碱	雌株	［28］
薯蓣属 Dioscorea spp.	块茎	总酚、总黄酮、总皂苷	雌株	［29］

植物物种 Plant species	主要药理活性 Main pharmacological activities	性别差异的药理学意义 The pharmacological significance of sex differences	潜在应用方向 Potential application directions
杜仲 Eucommia ulmoides	抗炎、抗氧化、抗菌、抗肿瘤	雄株叶片中绿原酸和原儿茶酸含量显著高于雌株，抗炎活性更强	雄株叶片：急性炎症、风湿性关节炎
银杏 Ginkgo biloba	改善记忆、改善微循环、抗氧化	果实期雌株叶片萜内酯和黄酮醇苷含量略高于雄株	定向采收果实期雌株叶片，保证提取物均一性
心叶青牛胆 Tinospora cordifolia	抗炎、抗肿瘤、免疫调节、抗糖尿病	雄株中木兰碱等生物碱含量更高；雌株中四氢帕马丁等含量更高	雄株：肿瘤辅助治疗；雌株：不同化学型用于不同目的
薯蓣属 Dioscorea spp.	抗氧化、抗菌、免疫调节	雌株块茎总酚、总黄酮含量及抗氧化活性显著高于雄株	雌株块茎：功能性食品、保健品原料
栝楼 Trichosanthes kirilowii	清热化痰、抗氧化	雌株叶片水溶性酚类和内源激素含量更高	雌株叶片：清热化痰及抗氧化制剂
乳香黄连木 Pistacia lentiscus	抗菌、抗炎	雌株精油抗革兰氏阴性菌更强；雄株抗阳性菌/真菌更强	根据病原菌类型选择性使用雌株或雄株精油