Herbs and Phyto: Class 1 Flashcards
Why fungi dominated the earth before plants? How is it different from humans and plants? Why fungi were useful?
•Fungi excrete digestive enzymes and absorb externally digested nutrients.
1)Animals derive their nutrition by engulfing food 2) Plant derive their nutrition by photosynthesis
•Contributed to soil formation and facilitated plant growth
Provide a basic mushroom structure
- Early plants used symbiotic fungi in their roots.
- Fungi have a fruiting body and a large network of underground hyphae.
The name of the very big prehistoric mushroom
Prototaxites
Why phytochemicals in terrestrial plants appeared at all? Why there are little phytochemicals in water plants?
1)
- Terrestrial plants produce an arsenal of compounds to deter plant-eating animals, discourage the growth of other seedlings, and inhibit soil bacteria and fungi.
- Plants can repel, sicken, confuse, stunt, sterilize, or kill.
2)When all lived in ocean, marine plants do not have so much protection as terrestrial plants, as fish usually did not eat plants
What was the primary cause to create phytochemicals in plants? What were the coping mechanisms (3)?
The ozone layer was not yet formed, surface algae had to protect themselves from sunlight, antioxidants were the main protection from UV light
- On land, plants had to survive desiccation in the air and exposure to UV waves from intense sunlight.
- WATER LOSS: developed a layer of epidermal cells coated by a waxy cuticle layer. (wax, cuticle, wood)
- UV RADIATION: Water served as a filter for direct sunlight.
- FLAVONOID PIGMENTS reflect UV wavelengths.
What are the colors of anthocyanins and what do tannins do upon digestion in animals
- ANTHOCYANINS: Flavonoids that provide most of the blue, violet, and red pigments in plants.
- TANNINS: Astringent compounds that limit a plant’s palatability. Accumulates in the bark of woody species. Can bind to digestive enzymes and interfere with digestion. Can cause cancers in animals and people who are chronically exposed to tannins.
Examples of physical defenses for a plant
•Physical Defenses
Bark, Waxy cuticles, Hard shells, Thorns, Spines, Trichomes
Here are some chemicals defenses by the plant: alkaloids, opioids, glycol cyanide, cardiac glucosides, lectins, and oxalates. Why each of them is dangerous?
oAlkaloids: noxious odours, repellent tastes, excessive stimulation.
oOpioids: Lethargy
oGlycol Cyanide: Poison
oCardiac Glycosides: Poison
oLectins: Binds to carbohydrates
oOxalates: Binds minerals and causes damage to gut.
What is jasmonates?
hormones that attract parasitoid insects to fight attackers.
what is a mast year in nuts?
A mast year denotes a season in which various species of trees synchronize their reproduction and drop large amounts of fruit and/or nuts
How to identify flavonoids structure?
Count the carbons: 6-3-6
What is phenol?
How does gallic acid look like and it is a monomer for ____
Monomer for tannic acid
Wild yam is used for___
Mexican yam- discrupts estrogen cycle and used in contraceptives
Flavonoid
How humans new what parts of plant are safe to eat?
oGenerational Familiarity
oTrial & Error
oObserving animals
oProcessing & Transformation
Alkaloids: taste and example
Bitter tasting; nicotine, caffeine, opium
Use of allicin in garlic (applications)
Antimicrobial & Antifungal
Cardioprotective (inhibition of platelet aggregation, lipid-lowering)
Mode of action of Allicin
•As H2S Donors
oAs precursors of HYDROGEN SULFIDE – a colourless, flammable, and toxic gas that smells like rotten eggs.
oH2S is a gaseous signaling molecule (gasotransmitter)
oH2S induces smooth muscle relaxation, dilates blood vessels. Explains garlic’s cardioproctective effects.
oCan react with thiol groups and can inactivate essential enzymes; Explains the antibacterial and antifungal activity.
•As Antioxidants
oOrganosulfur compounds inhibit peroxidation of lipids and possess radical scavenging activities.
The origin of the vampire myth
- Origin of the vampire is the disease PORPHYRIA
- Diseases caused by irregularities in the production of heme.
- Some forms of the Porphyria cause sufferers to be sensitive to light and leads to disfigurement of the skin, including erosion of the lips and gums.
- This can lead to a corpse-like fanged appearance.
- People who suffer from Porphyria also have an intolerance to foods that have a high sulphur content…such as GARLIC
The other ““mysterious” application of garlic
Evil eye, put garlic all over the house so bad spirits will not come
What is purgative?
Strongly laxative in effect
The term to say causing vomiting
EMETIC
What is salicin (chemical class) and where it is found? What drug resulted from it?
•Salicin, an alcoholic B-glucoside, is commonly found in the bark of willows and poplars.
This eventually lead to the development of ASPIRIN (acetylsalicylic acid)
