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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/81777
- Title
- Chemotaxonomic applications of flavonoids
- Author(s)
- McRae, Jacqui M.; Yang, Qi; Crawford, Russell J.; Palombo, Enzo A.
- Abstract
- Accurate taxonomic groupings are important for many applications, especially for medicinal plants. For example, structural analogues of the antitumour agent, paclitaxel, found in common Taxus species have increased the availability of this life-saving medicine without relying on the slow growing and comparatively uncommon, T. brevifolia. Flavonoids have a long history of use as chemotaxonomic markers and have assisted in resolving many taxonomic disputes that have arisen as a result of morphological classification. In recent times, there has been increased interest in using molecular systematics and bioinformatics as alternatives to traditional chemotaxonomic techniques, however the investigation of the types flavonoids present in plants is still a useful technique to rapidly assess plant taxonomy. Planchonia careya is a medicinal plant that contains a range of antibacterial compounds. Species of this genus are morphologically related to Barringtonia and Careya species and there have been several changes of nomenclature to reflect the uncertainty of these relationships. Our recent investigation of some of the comprising flavonoids from Planchonia careya has revealed similar distinctive compounds to those found in Planchonia grandis that are notably absent from Barringtonia and Careya taxa. Therefore the comparatively simple analysis of the flavonoid component of plant extracts can confirm or contest phenetic groupings to help resolve taxonomic discrepancies.
- Publication type
- Book chapter
- Research centre
- Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences. Environment and Biotechnology Centre
- Source
- Nutrition and diet research progress series: Flavonoids: biosynthesis, biological effects and dietary sources / Raymond B. Keller (ed.), Chapter 11, pp. 291-299
- Publication year
- 2009
- FOR Code(s)
- 030401 Biologically Active Molecules; 030502 Natural Products Chemistry
- Keyword(s)
- Chemotaxonomy; Flavonoids
- Publisher
- Nova Science Publishers
- ISBN
- 9781607416227
- Publisher URL
- http://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?&products_id=10080
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2009 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
- Additional information
- Supported by the Sunshine Foundation.
- Peer reviewed
