- Furanocoumarin
Furanocoumarins, or furocoumarins, are a class of organic chemical compounds produced by a variety of plants. They are biosynthesized through either the
phenylpropanoid pathway or themevalonate pathway .The chemical structure of furanocoumarins consists of a
furan ring fused withcoumarin . The furan may be fused in different ways producing severalisomer s. The compounds that form the core structure of the two most common isomers arepsoralen andangelicin . Derivatives of these two core structures are referred to respectively as linear and angular furanocoumarins. [GoldBookRef|title=furanocoumarins|file=F02558 GoldBookRef|title=furocoumarins|file=F02562]Many furanocoumarins are toxic and are produced by plants as a defense mechanism against various types of predators ranging from
insect s tomammal s. [ [http://www.life.uiuc.edu/berenbaum/newpage1.htm Professor May Berenbaum's research page] -University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ]Furanocoumarins have other biological effects as well. For example, in humans,
bergamottin anddihydroxybergamottin are responsible for thegrapefruit juice effect , in which these furanocoumarins affect the metabolism of certain pharmaceutical drugs. [cite journal |author=Kakar SM, Paine MF, Stewart PW, Watkins PB |title=6',7'-Dihydroxybergamottin contributes to the grapefruit juice effect |journal=Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics |pmid=15179411 |year=2004 | volume=75 |issue=6 |pages=569–579 |doi=10.1016/j.clpt.2004.02.007 ]References
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