Abstract
Phenolic compounds rarely occur in the free state in living plant tissue; they are practically always present in conjugated form. In the simplest instance, they are bound to sugar as β-D-glucopyranosides but a wide array of other bound forms are known. Undoubtedly one of the reasons why diphenols such as hydroquinone, catechol or protocatechuic acid are bound to sugar is because of their potential toxicity in the free form to many forms of life. Simple phenols are caustic substances and well known to be potent antimicrobial agents. In medicine, the first successful antiseptic surgery was achieved following the use of phenol itself. The relative infrequency in plants of simple phenolic derivatives may well be related to their significant phytotoxicity. Where they do occur, they may become involved in allelopathic reactions between plants. Compounds such as hydroquinone or salicylic acid occur bound in the plant; they may be released into the environment from leaf or root in free form to exert an inhibitory effect on seed germination or plant growth in the surrounding soil23.
Chapter PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
References
Asakawi, Y., Takemoto, T., Wollenweber, E. and Aratani, T. 1977. Lasiocarpin A, B and C, three novel phenolic triglycerides fromPopulus Lasiocarpa.Phytochemistry 16: 1791–1796.
Asen, S., Stewart, R.N. and Norris, K.H. 1972. Co-pigmentation of anthocyanins in plant tissues and its effect on colour.Phytochemistry 11: 1139–1144.
Berger, P.J., Sanders, E.H., Gardner, P.D. and Negus, N.C. 1977. Phenolic plant compounds functioning as reproductive inhibitors inMicrotus montanus.Science 195: 575–577.
Bjeldanes, L.F. and Chang, G.W. 1977. Mutagenic activity of quercetin and related compounds.Science 197: 577.
Bouillant, M.L., Wollenweber, E. and Chopin, J. 1971. Mise en evidence des hydroxy–2’ et dihydroxy–2’,5 flavones dans la primeverePrimula florindae.C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris 273D: 1629–1631
Chatterjee, A., Dhara, K.P., Rej, R.N. and Ghosk, P.C. 1977. Hexacosyl ferulate, a phenolic constituent ofPinus roxburghii.Phytochemistry 16: 397–398.
Dittrich, P. and Danbock, T. 1977. A novel p-coumaryl myo-inositol from needles ofTaxus baccata.Plant Physiol.59: 279–281.
Fujiwara, H., Nonaka, G. and Yagi, A. 1976. Flavonoids of the leaves ofCoptis japonica.Chem. Pharm.Bull 24: 407–413.
Harborne, J.B. (ed.) 1964. Biochemistry of phenolic Compounds. Academic Press, London. 618 pp.
Harborne, J.B. 1968. Correlations between flavonoid pigmentation and systematics in the Primulaceae.Phytochemistry 7: 1215–1230.
Harborne, J.B. 1976. Functions of flavonoids in plants. In Chemistry and biochemistry of plant pigments. (ed.) T.W. Goodwin, Academic Press, London. 2nd edn. vol. I, pp 736–779.
Harborne, J.B. 1977a. Flavonoid sulphates - a new class of natural product of ecological significance in plants.Progr. inPhytochem.4: 189–208.
Harborne, J.B. 1977b. Introduction to Ecological biochemistry. Academic Press, London. 243 pp.
Harborne, J.B., Mabry H. and Mabry, T.J. 1975. The flavonoids. Chapman and Hall, London. 1204 pp.
Harborne, J.B. and Mokhtari, N. 1977. Two sulphated anthraquinone derivatives inRumex pulcher.Phytochemistry 16: 1314–1315.
Harborne, J.B. and Williams, C.A. 1975. Flavone and flavonol glycosides, In ref. 14, pp 376–441.
Harborne, J.B. and Williams, C.A. 1976. Sulphated flavones and caffeic acid esters in members of the Fluviales.Biochem. System. Ecol.4: 37–41.
Harborne, J.B., Ingham, J.L., King, L. and Payne, M. 1976. The isopentenyl isoflavone luteone as a preinfectional antifungal agent in the genusLupinus.Phytochemistry 15: 1485–1487.
Horowitz, R.M. 1964. Relations between the taste and structure of some phenolic glycosides. In ref. 9, pp 545–572.
Imperato, F. 1975. Betanin 3’-sulphate fromRivinia humilis.Phytochemistry 14: 2526–2527.
McClure, J.W. 1975. Physiology and functions of flavonoids. In ref. 14, pp 970–1055.
Morita, N., Arisawa, M. and Yoshikawa, A. 1976. Glycoflavones in leaves ofPolygonatum odoratum Yakugaku zasshi 96: 1180–1183
Müller, C.H. and Chou, C.H. 1972. Phytotoxins: an ecological phase of phytochemistry. In Phytochemical Ecology (ed.) J.B. Harborne. Academic Press, London, pp 201–216.
Osterdahl, B.G. and Lindberg, G. 1977. Luteolin 7-neohesperidoside 4’-sophoroside, another new tetraglycoside fromHedivigia ciliata.Acta. Chem.Scand.31B: 293–296.
Paul, S.M. and Skolnick, P. 1977. Catechol oestrogens inhibit oestrogen elicited accumulation of hypothalamic cyclic AMP suggesting role as endogenous anti-oestrogens.Nature Lond.266: 559–561.
Porter, L. and Markham, K.R. 1978. Chemistry and chemotaxonomy of mosses and liverworts.Progr. in Phytochem.5: in press.
Racker, E. 1975. Reconstitution, mechanism of action and control of ion pumps.Biochem. Soc. Trans.3: 785–802.
Roberts, E.A.H. 1960. Effect of glycosylation on the enzymic oxidation and translocation of flavonoids.Nature Lond.185: 536–537.
Schoonhoven, L.M. 1972. Secondary plant substances and insects.Ree.Adv. Phytochem.5: 197–224.
Smith, T.A. 1977. Recent advances in the biochemistry of plant amines.Progr. in Phytochem.4: 27–82.
Stenlid, G. 1970. Flavonoids as inhibitors of the formation of adenosine triphosphate in plant mitochondria.Phytochemistry 9: 2251–2256.
Swain, T. 1977. Phenolics in the environment. This volume, chapter x.
Takata, R.H. and Scheuer, P.J. 1976. Glyceryl esters of caffeic and p-coumaric from pineapple stems.Lloydia 39: 409–411.
Thompson, W.R., Meinwald, J., Aneshansley, D. and Eisner, T. 1972. Flavonol pigments responsible for UV absorption in nectar guide of flowers.Science 177: 528.
Thomson, R.H. (ed.) 1977. Marine Natural Products. Pergamon Press, Oxford.
Towers, G.H.N. 1964. Metabolism of phenolics in higher plants and micro-organisms. Di ref. 9, pp 249–294.
Van Sumere, C.F., Albrecht, J., Dedonder, A., de Pooter, H. and Pe, I. 1975. Plant proteins and phenolics. In Chemistry and Biochemistry/Plant Proteins. (Eds.) Harborne, J.B. and Van Sumere, C.F. Academic Press, London, pp 211–264.
Whalley, W.B. 1959. The toxicity of plant phenolics. In The Pharmacology of plant phenolics. (ed.) Fairbairn, J.W. Academic Press, London, pp 27–35.
Wollenweber, E. 1976. Rare methoxyflavonoids from buds ofBetula nigra.Phytochemistry 15: 438–439.
Yoshitama, K. 1977- An acylated delphinidin 3-rutino-side–5,3’,5’-triglucoside fromLobelia erinus.Phytochemistry 16: 1857–1858.
Yoshitama, K. and Abe, K. 1977. Chromatographic and spectral characterization of 3’-glycosylation in anthocyanidins.Phytochemistry 16: 591–593.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1979 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Harborne, J.B. (1979). Variation in and Functional Significance of Phenolic Conjugation in Plants. In: Swain, T., Harbone, J.B., Van Sumere, C.F. (eds) Biochemistry of Plant Phenolics. Recent Advances in Phytochemistry, vol 12. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3372-2_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3372-2_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-3374-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-3372-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive