China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Natural Variability of Essential Oil Components
Published in K. Hüsnü Can Başer, Gerhard Buchbauer, Handbook of Essential Oils, 2020
Classical chemotaxonomy emphasized that not the presence of a compound itself, but the biosynthetic processes, the potential of a plant for the formation of the given compound, should be taken into account. According to the present knowledge, this general definition seems to be oversimplified and not fully adequate anymore. Today, we have to face two approaches of chemotaxonomic considerations.
Plant-Based Secondary Metabolites for Health Benefits
Published in Hafiz Ansar Rasul Suleria, Megh R. Goyal, Masood Sadiq Butt, Phytochemicals from Medicinal Plants, 2019
Monika Sharma, Jyotsana Dwivedi, Bhanu Kumar, Bramhanand Singh, A. K. S. Rawat
Medicinal plants collected for scientific investigations are selected on the basis of indigenous knowledge, inherited by traditional practitioners.15 Use of plant extracts for specific pathological conditions is based on a long hit and trial basis from which biologically active principles of medicinal interest can now be identified with the aid of modern tools.15,33,90 More or less, the same general strategy is followed by most of the workers to investigate plants for their therapeutic potential.4,90 Field observations can help in the selection of target plants. For example, plants growing in stressful environmental conditions tend to accumulate more secondary metabolites and synthesize defensive natural products in order to thrive in tough habitats. Further, screening of plants on the basis of the chemotaxonomy is also helpful in selecting desired plant material.90 Another method recognized as data-driven methodology develops an amalgamation of ethnobotanical, chemotaxonomic, and unsystematic tactics collected with a database that covers all applicable evidence about a certain plant species.77,88
Natural Products Structures and Analysis of the Cerrado Flora in Goiás
Published in Luzia Valentina Modolo, Mary Ann Foglio, Brazilian Medicinal Plants, 2019
Lucilia Kato, Vanessa Gisele Pasqualotto Severino, Aristônio Magalhães Teles, Aline Pereira Moraes, Vinicius Galvão Wakui, Núbia Alves Mariano Teixeira Pires Gomides, Rita de Cássia Lemos Lima, Cecilia Maria Alves de Oliveira
The strategy used by some researchers is based on chemotaxonomy, searching for specific metabolites that characterize some family plants. The Rubiaceae family is the fourth largest flowering plant family and is estimated to contain around 600 genera and between 6,000 and 13,143 species and is a predominantly tropical family, with biomass and diversity concentrated in the tropics and subtropics. The genus Psychotria L. and Palicourea Aubl. are among the ten largest (by species number) genera in Rubiaceae, and Psychotria is still the largest genus with 1,834 species (Davis, 2009). Several phytochemical studies corroborate that the Rubiaceae family is a well-known and a prolific source of alkaloids with great structural diversity and pharmacological properties. As a known example the genus Coffea L. is one of the most economically important, mainly the species Coffea arabica L., popularly known as coffee, which has caffeine as one of the principal chemical components.
Dyhidro-β-agarofurans natural and synthetic as acetylcholinesterase and COX inhibitors: interaction with the peripheral anionic site (AChE-PAS), and anti-inflammatory potentials
Published in Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, 2022
Julio Alarcón-Enos, Evelyn Muñoz-Núñez, Margarita Gutiérrez, Soledad Quiroz-Carreño, Edgar Pastene-Navarrete, Carlos Céspedes Acuña
The Celastraceae family is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including North Africa, Central and South America, and Central and East Asia12. The plants of this family have a long tradition of use in folk medicine and agriculture. The crude extracts of plants of this family have shown an extraordinary variety of pharmacological properties, among which we can mention their use in digestive disorders, fever, arthritis, bacterial infections and cancer. In addition, these plants are used as stimulants, appetite suppressants and insect repellants13. The bulk of bioactive constituents of Celastraceae representative are terpenes, being the sesquiterpene dihydro-β-agarofuran the most characteristic14, and the quinone methide triterpenoids (called celastroids). Both class of molecules are recognised as chemotaxonomic markers in this family. Dihydro-β-agarofuran sequiterpenoids show a high degree of oxidation and can form polyesters and pyridine-sesquiterpenes alkaloids. These biosynthetic derivatives have a wide spectrum of biological activities such as immunosuppressants, chemopreventives, anti-HIV, anti-insect agents and to circumvent multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells15.
The old world salsola as a source of valuable secondary metabolites endowed with diverse pharmacological activities: a review
Published in Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, 2022
Mai H. ElNaggar, Wagdy M. Eldehna, Mohammed A. S. Abourehab, Fatma M. Abdel Bar
The impressive diversity of the pool of phytochemicals of Salsola spp. is comprehensively studied in this review. Furthermore, up-to-date taxonomic classification and description of the important morphological characteristics of the plants of this genus were discussed herein. The phytochemical profile of Salsola spp. is composed of alkaloids, nitrogenous compounds, flavonoids and isoflavonoids, triterpenoids, cardenolides and steroids, coumarins, coumarolignans, lignans and diphenylpropanoids, and simple phenolic acids. These secondary metabolites represent a great interest for the chemotaxonomy of the genus. Furthermore, they would support the diverse traditional medicinal uses and pharmacological activities of Salsola species demonstrated by many reports as antihypertensive, immunostimulant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anthelmintic, antispasmodic, and antidiabetic. The current study represents a guiding light for researchers studying such widely distributed wild medicinal plants.
In vitro hematotoxicity of Vernonanthura polyanthes leaf aqueous extract and its fractions
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2022
Jamira Dias Rocha, Janaina da Silva Ferreira, Jeniffer Gabrielle Vieira Silva, Amanda Silva Fernandes, Jefferson Hollanda Véras, Luciane Madureira de Almeida, Aristônio Magalhães Teles, Leonardo Luiz Borges, Lee Chen-Chen, Elisa Flávia Luiz Cardoso Bailão
In summary, VpLAE and its fractions may interact with the surface of human erythrocytes membrane, causing changes in the cell form. The VpLAE and its fractions were cytogenotoxic against human lymphocytes, they enhanced the DXR lymphotoxicity and slightly decreased the DXR lymphogenotoxicity. The interaction between V. polyanthes and DXR presents a significant relevance since an adjuvant drug could be developed from this extract to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. In this way, more studies using systemic models are necessary to improve the welfare of cancer patients. Additionally, the indiscriminate use of ‘assa-peixe’ by local people should be discouraged. Likewise, the investigation of the cytogenotoxicity of other species from the same genus that should present chemotaxonomic similarities is relevant.