Ecologically neglected tannins and their biologically relevant activity: Chemical structures of plant ellagitannins reveal their in vitro oxidative activity at high pH

: Moilanen J., Salminen J.

: 2008

Chemoecology

: 18

: 2

: 73

: 83

: 11

: 0937-7409

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-007-0395-7

: http://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id:43749116239

Chemical structures of 27 ellagitannins were systemically compared in respect of their in vitro oxidative activity at high pH found e.g. in lepidopteran insects. The analysis revealed over six-fold differences in the oxidative activities of individual ellagitannins which could be explained by the chemical divergences of the ellagitannins. These findings allowed the formulation of a simple equation that can be used to estimate the oxidative activities of other ellagitannins with known structures. The results suggest that, in future studies of plant-herbivore interactions, ellagitannins should be (1) taken into account as possible oxidative stress -based defences of plants against herbivores, (2) chemically characterized from the study plants, and (3) quantified individually, not as chemically ill-defined group. These actions together with the utilization of the created equation would allow the clarification of the role of ellagitannins in plant-herbivore interactions as natural pro-oxidants. © 2007 Birkhaeuser.

Chemical sciences