Abstract
Until now, about 400 different natural seven-membered terpenoid lactones have been isolated from a broad spectrum of organisms. The majority (245) of the reported compounds occurred in plants. A significant number (101) of the sevenmembered lactones were isolated from marine organisms. The fewest (22) were secondary metabolites of microorganisms. Thus, oxepanones are confirmed to be widely distributed natural compounds that play various biological roles in diverse living organisms. Research on the biological activities of the principal isolated 2-oxepanones showed that most of them exhibit antimicrobial, antifeedant, insecticidal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Several of them are used in agriculture as plant growth inhibitors. For example, limonoids isolated from Harrisonia abyssinica suppressed sprouting of seeds of the pathogenic plant Striga, which parasitizes the root system of crops and reduces the yields of grains and beans [1]. Derivatives of natural seven-membered lactones are also used in pharmacology. Thus, the limonoid prieurianin, which was isolated from Entandrophragma candolei (Meliaceae), could be used to prevent obesity even in diabetes patients [2]. Chiisanogenin obtained from the alcohol extract of Acanthopanax (Eleutherococcus) senticosus is a biologically active constituent that treats diseases associated with glycation [3]. Despite definite success, information on the biological properties of natural seven-membered terpene lactones is still limited. Further research could embellish the understanding of their mechanisms of biogenesis and their biological roles in nature and medicine. The goal of the present review was to organize information on seven-membered terpene lactones with respect to their structures, occurrence in nature, synthetic accessibility, and pharmacological activity. 1. Natural seven-membered terpene lactones: structures, occurrence in nature, and biological activity
Published Version
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