Allelochemical properties of alkaloids. Effects on plants, bacteria and protein biosynthesis

Abstract

A characteristic feature of plants is their ability to synthesize a wide range of natural products, the so-called secondary metabolites. Up till now more than 4500 terpenoids, 700 polyketides, 750 polyacetylenes, 500 phenylpropanoids, 1200 flavonoids, 400 non-protein amino acids, 100 glucosinolates, 50 cyanogenic glycosides, 100 amines and over 400 alkaloids have been described. Many of these compounds are used by man as pharmaceuticals, flavours, fragrances, colours, stimulants, hallucinogens, poisons, pesticides or as lead structure for the organic chemists to other more powerful substances and, therefore, plant allelochemicals are often economically important.