Biob 110 1st Edition Lecture 4 What is Ethnobotany The study of interactions between people and plants includes anthropology archeology folklore linguistics psychology chemistry medicine pharmacology ecology Alma Snell is one of last ethnobotanists that knew how to use all plants The Maasai Paradox They eat mostly red meats which would be considered high cholesterol and fat yet there are very few cases of these people with cardiovascular disease Why is this The Maasai consume wild plants as food drink and medicine and these plants may contain hypocholestrerolemicsaponins and or phenolics Saponins aid with cholesterol absorption Ethnobotany Areas of study Economic botany Natural Products Research Alternative Medicine Cultivation and Culturing Phylogeny study of species evolutionary development and Chemotaxonomy using plant secondary compounds as characters for taxonomic groupings Remember plants are rooted in the ground and have to deal with anything that attacks it bugs disease and climate change What is a plant compound Primary compound protein sugar starch lipid cellulose minerals vitamins These are absolutely required for life Humans need all of these except cellulose Secondary compound terpene phenolic flavonoid alkaloid glycoside tannin glucosinolate resin These are made from the primary compounds for specific purposes Different Plant Compounds These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Terpenes o More than 50 000 different terpenes o They are the fragrant part of the flower in gas form o Important in photosynthesis carotenoids o Plant defense pyrethrum citronella Phenolics and Flavonoids o Contain benzene ring with every other bond being a double bond o Lignans antioxidants and may be anti cancer destroy free radicals o Tannins psoralen anti herbivory antibiotic o Vanilla capsaicin chocolate flavorings o Lignin wood strength and similar to wood and anthocynanins pigments o The more pigment a food has the better it is for you because of its antioxidant property Alkaloids o No particular structure o All contain nitrogen o Very large and diverse family some plants make more than 100 alkaloids o Most are psychoactive in lose dose or toxic high dose o Drugs nicotine caffeine morphine cocaine peyote from frogs Used on the ends of blow darts o More drugs curare quinine ergotamine anti cancer Roles of secondary compounds 1 Defense a Against herbivores fungi and bacteria viruses competition for food light water and nutrients 2 Signal compounds to attract a Pollinators and seed dispersing animals b Through volatiles or pigments 3 Signals for communication a Plant Rhizobia or fungi b Through the root system 4 Protection a Against UV light and stress Ethnobotany and commercial production Chemotype identification for cultivar development Selection for enhanced phytochemical production Environmental stress increases phytochemical production The problem is there is NO quality control efficacy testing or standardization of herbal products Bioreactors Plant Cell Factories We can grow parts of a plant for experiments and don t have to grow all of it Shoot Cultures don t need roots only need to grow the shoots Root Cultures don t need shoots only need to grow the roots Plants are Plastic we can manipulate them to do whatever we want them to do Are all plant products safe No NicotianaTabacum contains over 4000 chemicals The top 6 toxins these are organic 1 Tar black residue containing hundreds of carcinogens and hazardous waste 2 Nicotine the major addictive alkaloid 3 Carbon monoxide highly toxic component of engine exhaust 4 Formaldehyde a known carcinogen classified as a pesticide 5 Hydrogen cyanide highly toxic 6 Benzene a Group 1 carcinogen Chemicals can be organic found in nature or synthetic human made o Just because it is organic does not mean it is safe o Aflatoxin found on peanuts is extremely toxic phenolics and alkaloids can be extremely toxic and are totally organic