Comprehensive review shows that phytochemicals can enhance mitochondrial health by modulating mtDNA in various conditions.
Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) is a critical marker of mitochondrial health and plays a key role in cellular bioenergetics. Alterations in mtDNA-CN have been associated with aging, metabolic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies have revealed that various plant-derived extracts, as well as the secondary metabolites they produce, known as phytochemicals, can modulate mtDNA-CN through mechanisms including the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative stress, and mtDNA repair. This review examines plant-derived extracts and phytochemical compounds from a wide range of plant species- including Ginkgo biloba , Crocus sativus , Curcumin and many others- able to modulate mtDNA dynamics, scavenging oxygen free radicals and improving antioxidant defense systems.
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Perri et al. (2026) studied this question.
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