Dibenzylbutyrolactone Lignans - A Review of Their Structural Diversity, Biosynthesis, Occurrence, Identification and Importance.
OBJECTIVE
Dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans represent a unique group of plant secondary metabolites with increasing significance in medicine. This review summarizes their structural characteristics and classification, as well as the biosynthesis starting in the chloroplast, and their supposed biological activity associated with plant defense mechanisms are also discussed. Over 85 natural dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans known to date and their corresponding plant sources are summarized herein for the first time, highlighting a taxon- and organ-specific accumulation of these compounds.


CONCLUSIONS
The isolation strategies, applied analytical methods and pharmacological activities of dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans are also thoroughly reviewed.
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Anna
A
Solyomváry
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Szabolcs
S
Beni
Department of Plant Anatomy, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
Imre
I
Boldizsar
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000187:drug effects; D005663:Furans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017705:Lignans / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005663:Furans; D017705:Lignans
Analysis; arctigenin; biological activity; biosynthesis; chemotaxonomy; dibenzylbutyrolactone; lignan