Resveratrol, a constituent of red wine, has long been suspected to have cardioprotective effects. Interest in this compound has been renewed in recent years, first from its identification as a chemopreventive agent for skin cancer, and subsequently from reports that it activates sirtuin deacetylases and extends the lifespans of lower organisms. Despite scepticism concerning its bioavailability, a growing body of in vivo evidence indicates that resveratrol has protective effects in rodent models of stress and disease. Here, we provide a comprehensive and critical review of the in vivo data on resveratrol, and consider its potential as a therapeutic for humans.

Therapeutic potential of resveratrol: the in vivo evidence.

The biochemistry and medical significance of the flavonoids.

Flavonoids, a class of natural products of high pharmacological potency

Phenolics in Food and Nutraceuticals is the first single-source compendium of essential information concerning food phenolics. This unique book reports the classification and nomenclature of phenolics, their occurrence in food and nutraceuticals, chemistry and applications, and nutritional and health effects. In addition, it describes antioxidant activity of phenolics in food and nutraceuticals as well as methods for analysis and quantification. Each chapter concludes with an extensive bibliography for further reading. Food scientists, nutritionists, chemists, biochemists, and health professionals will find this book valuable.

Phenolics in food and nutraceuticals

Resveratrol: a molecule whose time has come? And gone?

A new isoflavan phytoalexin from leaflets of Lotus hispidus

Three isoflavonoids obtained from a methanolic extract of Pueraria mirifica roots have been identified as 3,9-dihydroxy-8-methoxy-7-(3,3-dimethylallyl)-coumestan (mirificoumestan), 3,9-dihydroxy- 8-methoxy-7-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)-coumestan (mirificoumestan hydrate), and 3,9- dihydroxy-8-methoxy-7-(2,3-dihydroxy-3-methylbutyl)-coumestan (mirificoumestan glycol). These new coumestans co-occur with coumestrol (3,9-dihydroxycoumestan), a compound already found in P. mirifica roots

Coumestans from the roots of pueraria mirifica

An antifungal isoflavone, luteone [5, 7, 2′, 4′-tetrahydroxy-6-(3, 3-diniethylallyl)isoflavone] is metabolised by cultures of Aspergillus flavus and Botrytis cinerea into 2″, 3″-dihydro-3″-hydroxyluteone (AF- 1), 2″, 3″-dihydrodihydroxyluteone, a dihydrofuranoisoflavone (BG-1) and a dihydropyranoisoflavone. The structures of the metabolites were elucidated by physico-chemical and chemical procedures. The major metabolites, AF-1 and BC-1 are much less toxic than luteone against Cladosporium herbarum. The possible metabolic pathways are briefly discussed.

Fungal Transformation of the Antifungal Isoflavone Luteone

Abstract A phytoalexin produced by the leaflets of seven cultivars of Arachis hypogaea (groundnut) after natural infection by Cercospora arachidicola or Phoma arachidicola has been characterised as the isoflavonoid (+)-medicarpin (3-hydroxy-9-methoxypterocarpan). Treatment of excised groundnut leaflets with an aqueous solution of CuSO4 or with a spore suspension of the fungus Helmin-thosporium carbonum has also been found to stimulate medicarpin biosynthesis.

John L. Ingham

Papers

A new isoflavan phytoalexin from leaflets of Lotus hispidus

Coumestans from the roots of pueraria mirifica

Fungal Transformation of the Antifungal Isoflavone Luteone

Isolation of the Phytoalexin Medicarpin from Leaflets of Arachis hypogaea and Related Species of the Tribe Aeschynomeneae

Tephrocarpin, a pterocarpan phytoalexin from Tephrosia bidwilli and a structure proposal for acanthocarpan