Research advances of Nitraria genus: from extreme environmental adaptation to the exploitation of multifunctional bioactive components

Nitraria is typical halophytic shrubs that adapt to high salinity, drought, and ultraviolet radiation. It accumulates abundant structurally varied secondary metabolites endowed with notable pharmacological and nutritional properties, rendering it a valuable reservoir of natural bioactive substances. As the secondary metabolites of Nitraria, anthocyanins, alkaloids, and polysaccharides confer strong stress resistance and diverse bioactivities, along with prominent pharmacological and nutritional values, making this genus an ideal reservoir of natural bioactive compounds. This review systematically summarizes recent progress in Nitraria research, including genomic/transcriptomic characteristics, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, stress-responsive mechanisms, and molecular regulatory mechanisms. Studies have advanced from genome size estimation to organelle genome assembly and phylogenomic analyses, laying a foundation for understanding its environmental adaptation and specialized metabolism. However, current research still lacks sufficient exploration of alkaloid and polysaccharide synthesis, epigenetic regulation, and clinical translation. Future work should integrate multiomics, functional genomics, structure–activity analysis, and clinical translation to support the utilization of Nitraria. In summary, Nitraria is not only a valuable model for investigating plant adaptation to extreme environments but also a valuable resource for natural product discovery, drug development, and functional food applications.