Metabolism of ipomeamarone in sweet potato root slices before and after treatment with mercuric chloride or infection with Ceratocystis fimbriata

Furanoterpenes produced in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) root tissue in response to fungal infection or injury with mercuric chloride were metabolized to compounds negative to Ehrlich's reagent. The metabolism of ipomeamarone in sweet potato root tissue was enhanced in response to cut injury. The enhanced metabolism of ipomeamarone in the cut tissue was partly prevented by HgCl₂ treatment. The initial metabolite of ipomeamarone was identified as ipomeamaronol, 15-hydroxyipomeamarone. A time-course analysis of the metabolism of ¹⁴C]ipomeamarone by cut tissue indicated that ipomeamarone was converted to ipomeamaronol, which was further metabolized to unknown compounds.