Nepetalactone is a name for multiple iridoid analog stereoisomers. Nepetalactones are produced by Nepeta cataria (catnip) and many other plants belonging to the genus Nepeta, in which they protect these plants from herbivorous insects by functioning as insect repellents. They are also produced by many aphids, in which they are sex pheromones. Nepetalactones are cat attractants, and cause the behavioral effects that catnip induces in domestic cats. However, they affect visibly only about two thirds of adult cats. They produce similar behavioral effects in many other felids, especially in lions and jaguars. In 1941, the research group of Samuel M. McElvain was the first to determine the structures of nepetalactones and several related compounds.
Catharanthus roseus, commonly known as bright eyes, Cape periwinkle, graveyard plant, Madagascar periwinkle, old maid, pink periwinkle, rose periwinkle, is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae. It is native and endemic to Madagascar, but grown elsewhere as an ornamental and medicinal plant. It is a source of the drugs vincristine and vinblastine, used to treat cancer. It was formerly included in the genus Vinca as Vinca rosea.
Iridoids are a type of monoterpenoids in the general form of cyclopentanopyran, found in a wide variety of plants and some animals. They are biosynthetically derived from 8-oxogeranial. Iridoids are typically found in plants as glycosides, most often bound to glucose.
In enzymology, a desacetoxyvindoline 4-hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.20) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
In enzymology, a tabersonine 16-hydroxylase (EC 1.14.13.73) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
Secologanin is a secoiridoid monoterpene synthesized from geranyl pyrophosphate in the mevalonate pathway. Secologanin then proceeds with dopamine or tryptamine to form ipecac and terpene indole alkaloids, respectively.
Abieta-7,13-diene hydroxylase (EC 1.14.13.108) is an enzyme with systematic name abieta-7,13-diene,NADPH:oxygen oxidoreductase (18-hydroxylating). This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction
Abieta-7,13-dien-18-ol hydroxylase (EC 1.14.13.109, CYP720B1, PTAO) is an enzyme with systematic name abieta-7,13-dien-18-ol,NADPH:oxygen oxidoreductase (18-hydroxylating). This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction
Akuammicine is a monoterpene indole alkaloid of the Vinca sub-group. It is found in the Apocynaceae family of plants including Picralima nitida, Vinca minor and the Aspidosperma.
Strictosidine is a natural chemical compound and is classified as a glucoalkaloid and a vinca alkaloid. It is formed by the Pictet–Spengler condensation reaction of tryptamine with secologanin, catalyzed by the enzyme strictosidine synthase. Thousands of strictosidine derivatives are sometimes referred to by the broad phrase of monoterpene indole alkaloids. Strictosidine is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of numerous pharmaceutically valuable metabolites including quinine, camptothecin, ajmalicine, serpentine, vinblastine, vincristine and mitragynine.
Tabersonine is a terpene indole alkaloid found in the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus and also in the genus Voacanga. Tabersonine is hydroxylated at the 16 position by the enzyme tabersonine 16-hydroxylase (T16H) to form 16-hydroxytabersonine. The enzyme leading to its formation is currently unknown. Tabersonine is the first intermediate leading to the formation of vindoline one of the two precursors required for vinblastine biosynthesis.
3-Hydroxy-16-methoxy-2,3-dihydrotabersonine is a terpene indole alkaloid produced by Catharanthus roseus. The metabolite is a substrate for 3-hydroxy-16-methoxy-2,3-dihydrotabersonine N-methyltransferase (NMT) which transfers a methyl group to the nitrogen of the indole ring forming desacetoxyvindoline. The enzyme catalyzing the formation of 3-hydroxy-16-methoxy-2,3-dihydrotabersonine from 16-methoxytabersonine is currently unknown, but is a result of hydration of the double bond connecting the 6 and 13 position carbons.
Desacetoxyvindoline is a terpene indole alkaloid produced by the plant Catharanthus roseus. Desacetoxyvindoline is a product formed by the methylation of the nitrogen on the indole ring by the enzyme 3-hydroxy-16-methoxy-2,3-dihydrotabersonine N-methyltransferase (NMT). The metabolite is a substrate for desacetoxyvindoline 4-hydroxylase (D4H) which catalyzes a hydroxylation to yield deacetylvindoline.
Deacetylvindoline is a terpene indole alkaloid produced by Catharanthus roseus. Deacetylvindoline is the product of a hydroxylation of desacetoxyvindoline by deacetoxyvindoline 4-hydroxylase (D4H). It is a substrate for deacetylvindoline O-acetyltransferase (DAT) which acetylates a hydroxy group to form vindoline, one of the two immediate precursors for the formation of the pharmacetucially valuable bisindole alkaloid vinblastine.
8-Hydroxygeraniol is a monoterpene synthesized from geraniol by the enzyme geraniol 8-hydroxylase. 8-Hydroxygeraniol is a substrate for 8-hydroxygeraniol dehydrogenase (G80) which synthesizes 8-oxogeranial. 8-Hydroxygeraniol is step in the synthesis of the secologanin, a key monoterpene needed for formation of terpene indole alkaloids.
8-Oxogeranial is a chemical substance, that is a monoterpene. The terpenoid is produced by 8-hydroxygeraniol dehydrogenase which uses 8-hydroxygeraniol as its substrate. 8-Oxogeranial is itself a substrate for iridoid synthase which synthesizes cis–trans-iridodial and cis–trans-nepetalactol.
7-Deoxyloganetic acid is an iridoid monoterpene. It is produced from nepetalactol or iridodial by the enzyme iridoid oxidase (IO). 7-Deoxyloganetic acid is a substrate for 7-deoxyloganetic acid glucosyltransferase (7-DLGT) which synthesizes 7-deoxyloganic acid.
Loganic acid is an iridoid. Loganic acid is synthesized from 7-deoxyloganic acid by the enzyme 7-deoxyloganic acid hydroxylase (7-DLH). It is a substrate for the enzyme loganate O-methyltransferase for the production of loganin.
Harpagoside is a natural product found in the plant Harpagophytum procumbens, also known as devil's claw. It is the active chemical constituent responsible for the medicinal properties of the plant, which have been used for centuries by the Khoisan people of southern Africa to treat diverse health disorders, including fever, diabetes, hypertension, and various blood related diseases.
Lochnericine is a major monoterpene indole alkaloid present in the roots of Catharanthus roseus. It is also present in Tabernaemontana divaricata.
