New Developments in Terpenes Research (Chemistry Research and Applications)

[Book Description]

Many of the terpenes compounds are naturally occurring organic products abundant in plants, which have been employed for centuries as odorants because of their aromatic qualities. In the last decades, their valuable properties have attracted growing interest in the pharmaceutical area. In fact, a large number of the worlds population uses plant extracts or their active compounds for health related purposes. Due to the continuous research efforts on terpenes compounds, numerous advances have been made in many aspects including advanced extraction and processing approaches, molecule structure analysis, usage for flavor enrichment, and most importantly, its potential pharmaceutical applications. This book manages to cover many of the recent developments. The potential of some moterpenes has been reviewed for their use as substrates to obtain new natural flavor compounds with ecomic and commercial interest. The potential medicine functions of terpenes have been thoroughly discussed in four chapters, including: the current kwledge on the anti-tumour potential of diterpenes in relevant cancers; the application of rosemary extracts as cancer therapy which contain a high concentration of phelic diterpenes; the possible development of an effective immutherapy for cancer originated from triterpene compounds such as uncarinic acid and ursolic acid; and the promising antibacterial, antioxidant, phytotoxic, insecticidal activities of essential oils extracted from the leaves and bugs of Syzygium. After these discussions and reviews on functions, the later chapters change to other interesting topics, such as a review of the development of effective extraction methods with extraction efficiency, as well as the description of recent advances in the environmentally benign oxidative processes where greener oxidants are used. The last two chapters discuss structures of terpenes: firstly, two computational chemistry approaches are introduced which can serve as important tools in predicting molecule structures and elucidate the mechanisms of action. Finally, the structures of two recently reported pentacyclic triterpenes and their pharmacological potential are discussed.

[Table of Contents]

Preface                                            vii
Chapter 1 Production of Natural Flavor             1  (24)
Compounds Using Monoterpenes As Substrates
          Gustavo Molina
          Marina G. P黌soa
          Mariana R. Pimentel
          Franciele M. Pelissari
          Juliano L. Bicas
          Gl疼cia M. Pastore
Chapter 2 Diterpenes As Cancer Therapy             25 (22)
          Elena Gonz疝ez-Burgos
          M. Pilar G?mez-Serranillos
Chapter 3 Phenolic Diterpenes from Rosemary As     47 (32)
Enhancement Agents of Usual Chemotherapeutic
Drugs for Colorectal Cancer Therapy
          Tiziana Fornari
          Ana Ramirez de Molina
          Guillermo Reglero
Chapter 4 The Possible Use of Terpene Compounds    79 (14)
in DC Immunotherapy against Cancer
          Masao Takei
          Akemi Umeyama
          Je-Jung Lee
Chapter 5 Essential Oil Compositions and In        93 (20)
Vitro Biological Activities of Three Szyzgium
Species from Nigeria
          Oladipupo A. Lawal
          Isiaka A. Ogunwande
          Christiana A. Bullem
          Olayinka T. Taiwo
          Andy R. Opoku
Chapter 6 From Terpenoids to Amines: A Critical    113(22)
Review
          Arno Behr
          Andreas Wintzer
Chapter 7 Illudane-Type Sesquiterpenes:            135(50)
Challenges and Opportunities for Toxicology and
Chemotherapy
          Rui M. Gil da Costa
          Carlos Lopes
          Paula A. Oliveira
          Margarida M.S.M. Bastos
Chapter 8 Palladium-Catalysed Monoterpenes         185(28)
Oxidation: Environmentally Benign Synthesis of
Valuable Oxigenate Derivatives
          M疵cio Jos? da Silva
          Abiney Lemos Cardoso
          Ligia Maria Mendonca Vieira
          Danieli Marcolan Carari
Chapter 9 Theoretical Properties of Terpenes       213(24)
and their Relationship with Biological
Activities
          S. Andrade-Ochoa
          A.A. Camacho-D疱ila
          L.M. Rodriguez-Valdez
          M. Villanueva-Garcia
          G.V. Nev疵ez-Moorill?n
Chapter 10 Configurational and Conformational      237(12)
Analyses by Theoretical Methods of Pentacyclic
Triterpenes Isolated from Myricaria elegans
          A.G. Pacheco
          G. Salgado-Mor疣
          A.F.C. Alc穗tara
Chapter 11 Applications and Advances in the        249(22)
Extraction and Analysis of Monoterpenes and
Sesquiterpenes in Plants
          J. Omar
          M. Olivares
          A. Vallejo
          A. Delgado
          P. Navarro
          O. Aizpurua
          N. Etxebarria
Index                                              271