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Chemical constituents and biological activities of South American Rhamnaceae

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Abstract

Secondary metabolites have diverse functions into plants. These functions are products of the coevolution which result in synthesis of constitutive and/or induced chemical defense generated for protection against to different phytopathogenic attack. Many phytochemical studies are biodirected with the aim of finding biopesticides of botanical origins. Some taxa of Americas such as Rhamnaceae family are toxic to insects, fungi and several bacteria strains, and these effects has been associated with the presence of alkaloids, phenolics and terpenes. The natural compounds that have been isolated represent a valuable resource for future studies of plant chemical defense and the role of these substances in chemical ecology. Here are show recent advances in the phytochemistry and biological activities of selected members of Rhamnaceae from Latin-America.

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Acknowledgments

To Fondecyt program grant # 1130463. The authors wish to thank to internal grant from Dirección de Investigación DIUBB # 083009-2R, # 122509 and # 132209 GI/C, Universidad del Bio Bio, Chillán, Chile.

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  1. Laboratorio de Síntesis y Biotransformación de Productos Naturales, Grupo de Investigación Química y Biotecnología de Productos Naturales Bioactivos, Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillan, Chile

    J. Alarcón

  2. Laboratorio de Fitoquímica Ecológica y Bioquímica, Grupo de Investigación Química y Biotecnología de Productos Naturales Bioactivos, Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillan, Chile

    C. L. Cespedes

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Alarcón, J., Cespedes, C.L. Chemical constituents and biological activities of South American Rhamnaceae. Phytochem Rev 14, 389–401 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-015-9404-6

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