Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in Jun 01, 2012
The health benefits associated with a diet rich in fruit and vegetables include reduction of the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, that are becoming prevalent in the aging human population. Triterpenoids, polycyclic compounds derived from the linear hydrocarbon squalene, are widely distributed in edible a...
Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in May 30, 2012
The deep waters surrounding the coastline of the northern parts of Norway represent an exciting biotope for marine exploration. Dark and cold Arctic water generates a hostile environment where the ability to adapt is crucial to survival. These waters are nonetheless bountiful and a diverse plethora of marine organisms thrive in these extreme condit...
Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in Mar 05, 2011
Chalcone synthase (CHS, EC 2.3.1.74) is a key enzyme of the flavonoid/isoflavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Besides being part of the plant developmental program the CHS gene expression is induced in plants under stress conditions such as UV light, bacterial or fungal infection. CHS expression causes accumulation of flavonoid and isoflavonoid phytoale...
Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in Feb 19, 2011
This special issue of phytochemistry reviews is in the honour of Eddy van der Meijden on the occasion of his retirement. He is one of the leading researchers in the field of evolutionary ecology of plant defence. Being trained as an animal ecologist he soon was aware of the fact that the population dynamics of herbivorous insects can only be unders...
Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in Nov 23, 2010
The understanding of the selection factors that drive chemical diversification of secondary metabolites of constitutive defence systems in plants, such as pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), is still incomplete. Historically, plants always have been confronted with microorganisms. Long before herbivores existed on this planet, plants had to cope with mi...
Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in Aug 05, 2010
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are the major defense compounds of plants in the Senecio genus. Here I will review the effects of PAs in Senecio on the preference and performance of specialist and generalist insect herbivores. Specialist herbivores have evolved adaptation to PAs in their host plant. They can use the alkaloids as cue to find their hos...
Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in Jun 26, 2010
The aim of this review is to combine the knowledge of studies on effects of nutrients on pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in Senecio with those studies of effects of PAs on herbivores and pathogens in order to predict the effects that nutrients may have on herbivores and pathogens via changes in PAs. We discuss whether these predictions match with the...
Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in Jun 25, 2010
Saponins are natural glycosides which possess a wide range of pharmacological properties including cytotoxic activity. In this review, the recent studies (2005–2009) concerning the cytotoxic activity of saponins have been summarized. The correlations between the structure and the cytotoxicity of both steroid and triterpenoid saponins have been de...
Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in Mar 04, 2010
Secondary metabolites provide a potential source for the generation of host plant resistance and development of biopesticides. This is especially important in view of the rapid and vast spread of agricultural and horticultural pests worldwide. Multiple pests control tactics in the framework of an integrated pest management (IPM) programme are neces...
Published in Phytochemistry Reviews in Feb 04, 2010
The ragwort species common or tansy ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris, formerly Senecio jacobaea), marsh ragwort (S. aquaticus), Oxford ragwort (S. squalidus) and hoary ragwort (S. erucifolius) are native in Europe, but invaded North America, Australia and New Zealand as weeds. The abundance of ragwort species is increasing in west-and central Europe. Rag...