Glycosides

Question 1

What class of secondary metabolites are glycosides?

Answer 1

Phenolic compounds

Question 2

What are the main parts of a glycoside?

Answer 2

glycone and aglycone parts

Question 3

What part of glycosides is pharmacologically active?

Answer 3

Aglycone part

Question 4

What are the different aglycone bonds to the glycone segments?

Answer 4

C, O, N, S linkages between the two segments

Question 5

What are glycosides used for in plants?

Answer 5

Protection, Source of energy, Growth regulation, Attract pollinators, Antimicrobial activity

Question 6

What are the properties of glycosides

Answer 6

State - crystalline/amorphous solid
Colourless
Solubility - Water-soluble, decrease in solubility with more glycone portions
Taste - Bitter
Odourless
Typically optically active

Question 7

How can you classify glycosides?

Answer 7

• Linkages
• By the chemical nature of the glycone portion
• By the chemical nature of the aglycone portion
• Therapeutic activity

Question 8

What are cardiac glycosides and how do they work?

Answer 8

Come from a steroidal aglycone, four connected rings. This glycoside disables Na+/K+ ion pumps, which increases cell Na+ and Ca+, which slows the heart and can lead to death. Found in all parts of foxgloves