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Monoterpenes in Essential Oils

Biosynthesis and Properties
  • Herminia Loza-Tavera
Chapter
Part of the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series (AEMB, volume 464)

Abstract

Monoterpenes are compounds found in the essential oils extracted from many plants, including fruits, vegetables, spices and herbs. These compounds contribute to the flavor and aroma of plant from which they are extracted. Monoterpenes are acyclic, monocyclic, or bicyclic C10 compounds synthesized by monoterpene synthases using geranyl pyrophos-phate (GPP) as substrate. GPP is also the precursor in the synthesis of farnesyl pyrophos-phate (FPP) and geranyl-geranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), two important compounds in cell metabolism of animals, plants and yeast. Monoterpene cyclases produce cyclic monoterpenes through a multistep mechanism involving a universal intermediate, a terpinyl cation which can be transformed to several compounds. Experimental studies, using animal cancer models, have demonstrated that some monoterpenes possess anticarcinogenic properties, acting at different cellular and molecular levels. From these discoveries it seems clear that monoterpenes could be considered as effective, nontoxic dietary antitumorigenic agents that hold promise as a novel class of anticancer drugs.

Keywords

Perillyl Alcohol Monoterpene Synthases Geranyl Pyrophosphate Acyclic Monoterpene Perillic Acid 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1999

Authors and Affiliations

  • Herminia Loza-Tavera
    • 1
  1. 1.Departamento de Bioquímica Facultad de QuímicaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCd. Universitaria, México,México

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