Enzyklopädie der psychoaktiven Pflanzen

Enzyklopädie der psychoaktiven Pflanzen. Christian Rätsch. Aarau, Switzerland: AT Verlag, 1998. 942 pp.     

Über die bitterstoffe der angosturarinde

Angosturabark (from Galipae officinalis, Rutaceae) contains two unstable bitter principles, which are isolated in the form of their crystalline hexaacetates. The structure of the bitter principle has been shown to be 3,5-Dihydroxy-5-ethoxy-2-syringoyl-1-methyl-4-O-β- -glucopyranosyl-cyclopentane, the bitter principle 2 to be 3,5-Dihydroxy-5-ethoxy-2-vanilloyl-1-methyl-4-O-β- -glucopyranosyl-cyclopentane.     

Sekundärstoffe – die Geheimwaffen der Pflanzen

Secondary metabolites Already 400 million years ago when land plants evolved, they probably produced secondary metabolites as means of defence against herbivores, microbes and competing plants. Secondary metabolites usually are bioactive agents, which can interfere with molecular targets in animals and microbes. Therefore, many plants and substances isolated from them can serve as valuable drugs in medicine and pharmacy. Some secondary metabolites also serve as signal compounds to attract pollinating animals and seed‐dispersing animals, but also for UV protection, as antioxidants or mobile nitrogen stores. Biology and evolution but also physiological and genetic bases of secondary metabolism are discussed in this overview.