REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1665421
Unraveling p-Cresol: From Biosynthesis to Biological and Biochemical Activities
Provisionally accepted
- 1Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- 2Beijing Lianxin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
- 3Other
- 4Beijing Lianxin Pharmaceutical Co., Beijing, China
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
p-Cresol, a ubiquitous low-molecular-weight volatile phenolic compound, permeates the vicinity of human, plant, and animal ecosystems through complex biosynthetic pathways and environmental exposure routes. Beyond its well-documented toxicity and metabolic interference, emerging evidence reveals its paradoxical roles as a pivotal signaling molecule in diverse ecological and biological systems. In the context of emerging research on the intricate interplay between chemical substances and life processes, its multifaceted biological and biochemical activities have become a focal point of interdisciplinary exploration. This comprehensive review systematically dissects the latest advancements in p-cresol research, meticulously tracing its biosynthesis pathways. Beyond its well-documented pungent odor and toxicity thresholds, the review delves into the cutting-edge discoveries of p-cresol's potential as an antioxidant and modulator of glucose homeostasis. Notably, the discussion on p-cresol removal strategies includes modulating the microbiota, optimizing diet and improving activated charcoal adsorption. By bridging the gaps between basic research and practical applications, this review not only provides a holistic understanding of p-cresol's dual-edged nature but also offers strategic guidance for developing safer and more efficient p-cresol utilization models while mitigating its health risks, ultimately guiding precision probiotic interventions for gut microbiota modulation (to lower endogenous p-cresol production) and targeted clinical trials for metabolic disorder management (e.g., chronic kidney disease-related p-cresol accumulation).
Keywords: p-cresol, biosynthesis, Biological activity, biochemical activity, Toxicity
Received: 21 Jul 2025; Accepted: 01 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhang, Xu, Fan, Wu, Zhang, Wu, Li and Zou. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Xiangri Li, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
Qinwen Zou, Beijing Lianxin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.