Revisiting the Medicinal Value of Terpenes and Terpenoids

Abstract

Nowadays, plant-based chemicals have drawn the attention of pharmacy researchers due to their potent biological activity against various ailments. In this series, terpenes and terpenoids are gaining popularity among drug researchers gradually. Terpenes are naturally occurring large and varied class of hydrocarbons substances produced by a wide variety of plants including fruits, vegetables, flowers and some animals. Their concentration is generally high in plants. A broad range of the biological properties of terpenoids includes cancer chemo-preventive effects, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic activities and memory enhancers. Terpenoids are usually cyclic unsaturated hydrocarbons, with the altered number of oxygen moieties in the constituent groups attached to the basic isoprene skeleton. Terpenoids are a group of substances that occur in nearly every natural food. Terpenoids display a wide range of biological activities against cancer, malaria, inflammation, tuberculosis and a variety of infectious diseases including viral as well as bacterial. In this chapter, we have emphasized the proven and expected medicinal value of both terpenes and terpenoids.

In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil Derived from Callistemon viminalis Aerial Part

“…Such climate and soil type may make the variation in the plant composition results. The components of plant essential oil have a wide range of therapeutic effects, Alpha-Pinene Eucalyptol, Alpha-Terpineol, beta and gamma-Elemene, beta-Eudismole, and 3-Carene reveal obvious anticancer activity, also Alpha-Pinene, Eucalyptol and gamma-Terpinene own important anti-inflammatory potency, one example is preventative effect revealed by Eucalyptol against ilium inflammation, while the antimicrobial activity for the oil may come from the major component, Eucalyptol (1,8 Cineol), beside alpha-Terpineol, 3-Carene, and β-Caryophyllene (25,26,27,28,29). According to the study results, Callistemon viminalis essential oils have a good antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, while no antifungal activity observed.…”

Borago Officinalis L.: A Review Oon Extraction, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Activities

“…Terpenes are secondary metabolites produced by numerous plants in response to infections or stressful conditions. [126,127] This class of hydrocarbons is characterized by one or more carbon-carbon double bonds [128] and have a basic formula (C 5 H 8 ) n , synthesized from isoprene units. [126,127] These compounds, abundant in plant essential oils, [129] have been identified in various parts of B. officinalis essential oils (Table 2).…”

“…[126,127] This class of hydrocarbons is characterized by one or more carbon-carbon double bonds [128] and have a basic formula (C 5 H 8 ) n , synthesized from isoprene units. [126,127] These compounds, abundant in plant essential oils, [129] have been identified in various parts of B. officinalis essential oils (Table 2). Mhamdi et al (2009) [32,33] determined the composition of essential oils from the seeds, leaves, and flowers of B. officinalis.…”

Widely Untargeted Metabolome Profiling Provides Insight into Browning and Nutritional Quality Changes in Short-Term Stored Fresh-Cut Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Shreds

“…Fifteen alkaloid compounds, including 9α-hydroxysophoramine, tataramide A, phenylethanolamine, 4-hydroxy-2-benzoxazolone (HBOA), and N-feruloyltyramine (Table S2), increased in accumulation upon short-term (4 h) storage of potato shreds. These compounds have been highlighted to have human health benefits [63,[65][66][67][68], making short-term storage (4 h) of shreds useful for human health.…”

“…Terpenoids have a wide range of documented biological properties, including cancer chemoprevention, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, and memory enhancing [65][66][67]. Among the 20 terpenoid compounds detected (Table S2), hispanolone, pimaric acid and eucommioside are reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities [66].…”