A. Ogiso

Bio: A. Ogiso is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Derivative (chemistry) & Decoupling (cosmology). The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 8 publications receiving 53 citations.

Chemical Constituents of the Bryophytes

Abstract: In the twelve years since the first review article dealing with chemical constituents of the Hepaticae appeared in this series as Volume 42 (19), several short reviews concerned with chemical constituents of bryophytes have been published (22, 96, 144, 265, 271, 647, 649, 650) In 1988, a Symposium on Chemistry and Chemical Taxonomy of Bryophytes was organised on the behalf of the Phytochemical Society of Europe; the proceedings of this meeting appeared as a book entitled Bryophytes: Their Chemistry and Chemical Taxonomy (651) The symposium concerned itself with phytochemical, biochemical, botanical, chemotaxonomical, pharmaceutical, biotechnological and environmental aspects of bryophytes as well as with the synthesis of the terpenoids and aromatic compounds bryophytes elaborate The physiological and biochemical aspects of bryophytes have also been described in a recent book Bryophytes Development: Physiology and Biochemistry (139)

Naturally Occurring Food Toxicants: Phenolic Substances of Plant Origin Common in Foods

Abstract: Publisher Summary The risks to humans of serious poisonous effects caused by natural phenols present in normal foods consumed under usual circumstances seem vanishingly small, as determined by experiment, as well as common sense and long-term observation. Conclusions involving evolution obviously are speculative, but some putative relationships appear worthy of discussion to clarify the durability of animal life and the threat of plant toxins generally or of phenols particularly. Phenols are probably the most important group of substances, useful in chemotaxonomic differentiation among plant species. Plants have evolved toxins to combat herbivores, but herbivores have also evolved to tolerate or avoid plant toxins. Phenol itself, and other small phenols, such as catechol, the cresols, guaiacol, orcinols, and pyrogallol, are commonly considered to be industrial chemicals. Gallic acid is widely distributed in plants, but the concentration is usually very low. The flavonoids contribute color, flavor, and processing characteristics important in food. The most often cited effect of phenols that is discussed in this chapter is the inhibition of catechol-O-methyltransferse (COMT) and competition for methyl groups by phenols that serve as a substrate for this enzyme. The chapter discusses that many plants contain secondary metabolites toxic or deterrent to members of the animal kingdom attempting to feed on them. Plant phenols that are highly toxic to animals are rarely found. The phenols that occur widely in plants or in large amounts in common food plants have very low acute oral toxicity and most are also of low toxicity when given parenterally.

Physiology and Functions of Flavonoids

Abstract: This chapter is concerned with physiological factors that control levels of flavonoids accumulating in plants and with the biological implications of these accumulations both within the plant and in plant-animal (1ncluding man) interactions. Levels of flavonoids within plants are a reflection of the efficiency of biosynthesis (see Chapter 16) tempered by turnover and degradation (Chapter 17) during growth and development. These are all influenced by the external environment. The functions of flavonoids may be approached by a consideration of their general reactivity when introduced into biochemical systems, the many implications of their pigment characteristics, their possible mediation in plant growth and development, and their effects on animals and microorganisms.