Phytoecdysteroid

{{short description|Plant defense chemical}}

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File:Ecdysteroids.svgs. Ecdysone (top) and 20-hydroxyecdysone.]]

Phytoecdysteroids are plant-derived ecdysteroids. Phytoecdysteroids are a class of chemicals that plants synthesize for defense against phytophagous (plant eating) insects. These compounds are mimics of hormones used by arthropods in the molting process known as ecdysis. It is presumed that these chemicals act as endocrine disruptors for insects, so that when insects eat the plants with these chemicals they may prematurely molt, lose weight, or suffer other metabolic damage and die.

Chemically, phytoecdysteroids are classed as triterpenoids, the group of compounds that includes triterpene saponins, phytosterols, and phytoecdysteroids. Plants, but not animals, synthesize phytoecdysteroids from mevalonic acid in the mevalonate pathway of the plant cell using acetyl-CoA as a precursor.

Some ecdysteroids, including ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), are produced by both plants and arthopods. Besides those, over 250 ecdysteroid analogs have been identified so far in plants, and it has been theorized that there are over 1,000 possible structures which might occur in nature.{{cite journal | author = Dinan L. | year = 2001 | title = Phytoecdysteroids: biological aspects | journal = Phytochemistry | volume = 57 | pages = 325–339 | doi = 10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00078-4 | pmid = 11393511 | issue = 3| bibcode = 2001PChem..57..325D }} Many more plants have the ability to "turn on" the production of phytoecdysteroids when under stress, animal attack or other conditions.{{cite journal |vauthors=Dinan L, Savchenko T, Whiting P | year = 2001 | title = On the distribution of phytoecdysteroids in plants | journal = Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences | volume = 58 | issue = 8 | pages = 1121–1132 | doi = 10.1007/PL00000926 | pmid = 11529504| s2cid = 8496934 | pmc = 11337386 }}

The term phytoecdysteroid can also apply to ecdysteroids found in fungi, even though fungi are not plants. The more precise term mycoecdysteroid has been applied to these chemicals.{{cite book |last1=Dinan |first1=Laurence |last2=Mamadalieva |first2=Nilufar Z. |last3=Lafont |first3=René |chapter=Dietary Phytoecdysteroids |title=Handbook of Dietary Phytochemicals |date=2020 |pages=1–54 |doi=10.1007/978-981-13-1745-3_35-1 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343541713_Dietary_Phytoecdysteroids}}

Some plants and fungi that produce phytoecdysteroids include Achyranthes bidentata,{{cite journal |vauthors=Gao XY, Wang DW, Li FM | year = 2000 | title = Determination of ecdysterone in Achyranthes bidentata Bl and its activity promoting proliferation of osteoblast-like cells | journal = Yao Xue Xue Bao | volume = 35 | issue = 11 | pages = 868–870 | pmid = 11218869}} Tinospora cordifolia,{{cite journal |author1=Song CQ |author2=RS Xu | year = 1991 | title = Phytoecdysones from the roots of Tinospora capillipes | journal = Chinese Chemical Letters | volume = 2 | issue = 1 | pages = 13–14}} Pfaffia paniculata,{{cite journal | author = Courtheyn D | year = 2002 | title = Recent developments in the use and abuse of growth promoters | journal = Analytica Chimica Acta | volume = 473 | pages = 71–82 | author2 = Le Bizec B | author3 = Brambilla G | doi = 10.1016/S0003-2670(02)00753-5 | last4 = Debrabander | first4 = H | last5 = Cobbaert | first5 = E | last6 = Vandewiele | first6 = M | last7 = Vercammen | first7 = J | last8 = Dewasch | first8 = K| issue = 1–2 | bibcode = 2002AcAC..473...71C }} Leuzea carthamoides,{{cite journal | author = Pis J | year = 1994 | title = Ecdysteroids from the roots of Leuzea carthamoides | journal = Phytochemistry | volume = 37 | issue = 3 | pages = 707–711 | author2 = Budesinsky M | author3 = Vokac K | doi = 10.1016/S0031-9422(00)90343-1 | last4 = Laudová | first4 = Věra | last5 = Harmatha | first5 = Juraj| bibcode = 1994PChem..37..707P }} Rhaponticum uniflorum,Zhang et al. 2002 {{full citation needed|date=November 2012}} Serratula coronata,{{cite journal | author = Bathori M | year = 1999 | title = Components of Serratula species; screening for ecdysteroid and inorganic constituents of some Serratula plants | journal = Acta Pharmaceutica Hungarica | volume = 69 | issue = 2 | pages = 72–76 | author2 = Kalasz H | author3 = Csikkelne SA | author4 = | pmid = 10389301 }} Cordyceps,{{cn|date=December 2024}} and Asparagus.{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00438-6 | title = Phytoecdysteroids in the genus Asparagus (Asparagaceae) | year = 2001 | last1 = Dinan | first1 = Laurence | last2 = Savchenko | first2 = Tamara | last3 = Whiting | first3 = Pensri | journal = Phytochemistry | volume = 56 | issue = 6 | pages = 569–76 | pmid = 11281134| bibcode = 2001PChem..56..569D }}