Plants as silent teachers: bridging plant biology, human physiology, and eastern traditional practices through molecular insights
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Plants lack a centralized nervous system, yet they exhibit sophisticated capacities for environmental perception, communication, stress adaptation, and forms of physiological memory. Increasing experimental evidence indicates that many of the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes—such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) signalling, calcium fluxes (Ca2+), nitric oxide (NO) pathways, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, and epigenetic regulation—are conserved across biological kingdoms. In this perspective article, we examine how plant systems, particularly Arabidopsis thaliana, may serve as experimentally tractable models for investigating conserved stress-related signalling processes that also operate in human physiology. We further review evidence for plant communication through volatile organic compounds, acoustic vibrations, bioelectrical signalling, and mechanical cues, highlighting mechanistic parallels in signal perception and response integration. Building on these shared molecular nodes, we cautiously explore whether plant-based experimental platforms could be used to test environmental variables—such as sound exposure, rhythmic mechanical stimulation, and oxygen-related modulation—that are also relevant to certain contemplative or lifestyle practices. This framework is hypothesis-generating rather than confirmatory and warrants further evaluation. It does not imply equivalence between plant and human experience, but instead proposes that conserved biochemical pathways offer a biologically grounded interface for interdisciplinary investigation. By situating traditional practices within measurable molecular parameters, plant systems may contribute to a more rigorously experimental dialogue among plant biology, stress physiology, and integrative health research.
Source: Plant Signaling & Behavior
Authors: Anil Sharma, Taj Pratap, Koustuv Dalal
Institutions: Sri Sri University, Mid Sweden University
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,070
OpenAlex ID: W7148553813