Plant Metabolism Flashcards

1
Q

What is secondary metabolism?

A

metabolism of chemicals that occurs rarely among plants, and that have no known general metabolic role in plants.

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2
Q

What are secondary metabolites?

A

compounds that are not required for normal growth

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3
Q

How are secondary metabolites divided?

A

By structure, biosynthetic pathway, the kinds of plants that make them

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4
Q

What are glycosides?

A

A molecule that is the product of a secondary metabolite combining with sugar

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5
Q

If secondary metabolites don’t help a plant with growth, what are they for?

A

They govern interactions between plants and other organisms. Ex: some secondary compounds are brightly coloured pigments. These attract pollinators and fruit and seed dispersers.

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6
Q

What are the categories of compounds?

A

Alkaloids, glycosides, essential oils

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7
Q

What are common characteristics of alkaloid compounds?

A

they contain nitrogen, they are usually alkaline, they have a bitter taste

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8
Q

What are the physiological effects of alkaloids?

A

A pronounced effect on the nervous system. Common alkaloids are caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, morphine, quinine, ephedrine

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9
Q

What are the positives of glycosides?

A

Can be a great medicine for a wide range of conditions

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10
Q

What are the negatives of glycosides?

A

They are extremely toxic and dangerous when dosage isn’t administered properly

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11
Q

What is the plant ‘foxglove’ used for and what are its effects?

A

Foxglove is used to treat heart disease because it has a high amount of cardiac glycosides. The effects increases strength of each heartbeat, more blood is pumped, Improved circulation

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12
Q

What is Willow bark used for and what are its effects?

A

It is used to treat pain and fever. Willow bark is now called aspirin and it is anti-inflammatory, antipyretic (fever reducing), and analgesic (pain relieving).

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13
Q

What is fever bark used for and what are its effects?

A

Fever bark is used to treat malaria, it has the name quinine. It kills parasites in the bloodstream and works well to stop infections

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14
Q

What is snakeroot and what are its effects?

A

It is an effective tranquilizer that lowers blood pressure.

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15
Q

What is aloe Vera and what are its effects?

A

Aloe leaves have a thick sap that promotes faster cell growth, inhibits pain, itching, and bacterial infections. It is commonly used to treat burns and other skin conditions

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16
Q

What is vinca and what are its effects?

A

Vinca is used to treat leukaemia and other cancers. It is still experimental but we know it is very effective at killing leukaemia cells

17
Q

What is texus and what are its effects?

A

It is bark from a tree that has shown to have anti-tumour properties. They seem to effectively reducing tumours in breast and ovarian cancers