Phytochemistry
Phytochemistry
Phytochemistry (pronounced: fy-toh-kem-uh-stree) is the study of the chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants. The term is often used to describe the large number of secondary metabolic compounds found in plants. Many of these are known to provide protection against insect attacks and plant diseases. They also exhibit a number of protective functions for the human consumers.
Etymology
The term "Phytochemistry" is derived from the Greek words phyton meaning "plant" and chemistry, which refers to the science of matter and the changes it undergoes during chemical reactions.
Related Terms
- Phytochemicals: These are chemical compounds produced by plants. They are often involved in plant defense against predation by microorganisms, insects, and herbivores.
- Secondary Metabolites: These are organic compounds that are not directly involved in the normal growth, development, or reproduction of organisms. Unlike primary metabolites, absence of secondary metabolites does not result in immediate death, but rather in long-term impairment of the organism's survivability, fecundity, or aesthetics.
- Metabolism: This is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main purposes of metabolism are: the conversion of food to energy to run cellular processes; the conversion of food/fuel to building blocks for proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and some carbohydrates; and the elimination of nitrogenous wastes.
- Phytochemistry (journal): This is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering pure and applied plant chemistry, plant biochemistry and molecular biology.
- Chemotaxonomy: This is the study of the relationships between chemical variation and genetic variation within a species. It is used in the classification and identification of plants.
- Pharmacognosy: This is the study of medicinal drugs derived from plants or other natural sources. It is an important source of new pharmaceuticals.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Phytochemistry
- Wikipedia's article - Phytochemistry
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