Phytochemical Properties and Biological Activities of Teucrium Species
Summary
Species of the genus Teucrium are rich sources of secondary metabolites including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, essential oils and specialised diterpenoids. Phenylethanoid glycosides and neo-clerodane diterpenoids represent key bioactive classes, while essential oils yield diverse monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Advanced analytical techniques such as UHPLC-HR MS/MS, NMR spectroscopy and GC–MS have elucidated complex phytochemical profiles, revealing compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antihyperglycaemic and allelopathic properties. Extraction methods ranging from hydrodistillation to subcritical water treatment influence both yield and bioactivity, enabling optimisation for functional food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. Ecological and geographical factors can further modulate essential oil composition, underscoring the importance of provenance in bioresource management.
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Phytochemical Properties and Biological Activities of Teucrium Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in phytochemical properties and biological activities of teucrium species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phenylethanoid glycoside: A class of polyphenolic compounds comprising a phenylethanol moiety linked to sugar residues, noted for antioxidant activity.
Neo-clerodane diterpenoid: A type of diterpene with a rearranged clerodane skeleton, often exhibiting diverse biological effects.
UHPLC-HR MS/MS: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry, used for detailed compound identification.
Hydrodistillation: A method for extracting essential oils by steam or water distillation of plant material.
α-Glucosidase: An enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of terminal α-glucosidic linkages, a target for antihyperglycaemic agents.
TRAIL: Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, a cytokine that triggers apoptosis in cancer cells.
References
- Teucrium montanum L.—Unrecognized Source of Phenylethanoid Glycosides: Green Extraction Approach and Elucidation of Phenolic Compounds via NMR and UHPLC-HR MS/MS. Antioxidants (2023).
- Polyphenolic Composition and Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antihyperglycemic Activity of Different Extracts of Teucrium montanum from Ozren Mountain. Antibiotics (2024).
- Colorectal carcinoma cell targeting aromatherapy with Teucrium ramosissimum essential oil to sensitize TRAIL/Apo2L-induced HCT-116 cell death. International Immunopharmacology (2024).
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