Cyanogenic Glucosides Research Articles

Cassava Flour as a Possible Replacement for Wheat Flour: A Comprehensive Review Considering the Sri Lankan Scenario

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a long tuberous starch-containing root crop that stands as a significant staple food globally. Its adaptability to various climates has increased its commercial growth. However, challenges such as toxic cyanogenic glucosides and rapid perishability in cassava demand its processing for safety and extended shelf-life. In Sri Lanka, where cassava is widely consumed, surplus production can be a highly prospective revenue. This review summarizes the utilization of cassava flour as a potential alternative for wheat flour emphasizing the Sri Lankan scenario. The cassava flour production process involves cleaning, peeling, slicing, drying, grinding, and sieving. Nutritional composition varies among cultivars, with variations in starch, amylase, fiber, protein, and ash. The cyanogenic levels also depend on the cultivars. Cassava flour emerges as a promising wheat flour substitute due to its abundance, effortless cultivation practices, nutritional profile, and unique functional properties. Furthermore, cassava flour is gluten-free and considered as the most comparable gluten-free substitute to wheat flour in terms of texture and taste. The incorporation of cassava flour into bakery products shows an opportunity to reduce the massive dependence on costly wheat flour imports in developing countries, which improves the country’s revenues. This review focuses on diverse food applications of cassava flour, including cookies rackers, biscuits, and commercial products, highlighting cassava flour's market potential in Sri Lanka amidst the increasing demand for gluten-free products.Keywords: Cassava Flour, Wheat Flour, Substitute, Sri Lanka, Food Products

Cyanide in cassava: Understanding the drivers, impacts of climate variability, and strategies for food security

AbstractThe consumption of cassava, a vital staple food for more than 1 billion people worldwide, holds particular significance in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Expansion in cassava production in SSA is driven by increasing market demand, local consumption, and adaptability to diverse environments. However, cyanide concentration in cassava tubers and products across SSA ranges from 9 to 1148 ppm – most exceed the World Health Organisation's recommended safe level of 10 ppm. Such variation and high cyanide concentrations in cassava products are expected to be exacerbated by climate‐induced increases in the frequency, intensity and occurrence of drought, heat waves and biotic stresses, further jeopardising regional food security. Thus, it is essential to examine cassava production and cyanide toxicity under climate change and their implications for food security in SSA. In this review, we look at the drivers of cassava production and spatial variation in cyanide concentrations across SSA, impacts of climate variability and biotic stresses on cassava cyanide concentrations in SSA, and crop management practices for reducing cyanogenic glucosides in cassava tubers. We surmise that urgent actions are required to adopt improved cassava varieties and management strategies that reduce cassava cyanide toxicity amid climate‐induced challenges in SSA.

Cyanogenic Glucoside and Methaemoglobin Complex Effects Oo Parboiled Aad Roasted Irish Potato (Solanum Tuberosum) Tubers

The importance of Irish Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) as a global crop that can be transformed into many products impacting several health dimensions cannot be over emphasized. This research determined the cyanogenic glucosides of raw, parboiled and roasted Irish potatoes (Solanum tuberosum); and the pH effects on the cyanogenic glucosides of the processed Irish potato using a colorimeter through the formation of cyanomethemoglobin. The results show a variation in the cyanogenic glucoside concentration at various pHs. The highest cyanogenic glucoside concentration of 1.18 ± 0.2316 mg/kg was recorded in raw potatoes at pH 8.6 while the lowest cyanogenic glucoside concentration of 1.05 ± 0.0600 mg/ kg was recorded in parboiled Irish potato at pH of 8.6 For processed samples of Solanum tuberosum with Methaemoglobin complex; roasted Irish potatoes has the highest value of cyanide concentration of 1.12 ± 0.0289 mg/kg at pH of 8.6, followed by parboiled potatoes at 1.05 ± 0.0600 mg/kg at pH of 8.6. The highest mean cyanide concentration (0.83 mg/kg) was recorded at pH 8.6 (basic medium) while the lowest mean cyanide concentration (0.74 mg/kg) was recorded at pH 5.8 (acidic medium). The values obtained for the various methods used in processing Irish potatoes were in tandem with recommended standard by World Health Organization (WHO) and International Standard Organization (ISO). The values are lower than the maximum accepted standard of 10 mg of HCN /10 kg body weights. This research summarizes critical information on nutritional profiles of Irish potatoes and their processed products and describes the state of the science relative to the influence of in-home and common commercial processing on nutritional quality and potential impacts on human health.

Globally deployed sorghum aphid resistance gene RMES1 is vulnerable to biotype shifts but is bolstered by RMES2.

Durable host plant resistance (HPR) to insect pests is critical for sustainable agriculture. Natural variation exists for aphid HPR in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), but the genetic architecture and phenotype have not been clarified and characterized for most sources. In order to assess the current threat of a sorghum aphid (Melanaphis sorghi) biotype shift, we characterized the phenotype of Resistance to Melanaphis sorghi 1 (RMES1) and additional HPR architecture in globally admixed populations selected under severe sorghum aphid infestation in Haiti. We found RMES1 reduces sorghum aphid fecundity but not bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi) fecundity, suggesting a discriminant HPR response typical of gene-for-gene interaction. A second resistant gene, Resistance to Melanaphis sorghi 2 (RMES2), was more frequent than RMES1 resistant alleles in landraces and historic breeding lines. RMES2 contributes early and mid-season aphid resistance in a segregating F2 population; however, RMES1 was only significant with mid-season fitness. In a fixed population with high sorghum aphid resistance, RMES1 and RMES2 were selected for demonstrating a lack of severe antagonistic pleiotropy. Associations with resistance colocated with cyanogenic glucoside biosynthesis genes support additional HPR sources. Globally, therefore, an HPR source vulnerable to biotype shift via selection pressure (RMES1) is bolstered by a second common source of resistance in breeding programs (RMES2), which may be staving off a biotype shift and is critical for sustainable sorghum production.

The Putative GATA Transcription Factor SbGATA22 as a Novel Regulator of Dhurrin Biosynthesis.

Cyanogenic glucosides are specialized metabolites produced by over 3000 species of higher plants from more than 130 families. The deployment of cyanogenic glucosides is influenced by biotic and abiotic factors in addition to being developmentally regulated, consistent with their roles in plant defense and stress mitigation. Despite their ubiquity, very little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms that regulate their biosynthesis. The biosynthetic pathway of dhurrin, the cyanogenic glucoside found in the important cereal crop sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), was described over 20 years ago, and yet no direct regulator of the biosynthetic genes has been identified. To isolate regulatory proteins that bind to the promoter region of the key dhurrin biosynthetic gene of sorghum, SbCYP79A1, yeast one-hybrid screens were performed. A bait fragment containing 1204 base pairs of the SbCYP79A1 5' regulatory region was cloned upstream of a reporter gene and introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Subsequently, the yeast was transformed with library cDNA representing RNA from two different sorghum developmental stages. From these screens, we identified SbGATA22, an LLM domain B-GATA transcription factor that binds to the putative GATA transcription factor binding motifs in the SbCYP79A1 promoter region. Transient assays in Nicotiana benthamiana show that SbGATA22 localizes to the nucleus. The expression of SbGATA22, in comparison with SbCYP79A1 expression and dhurrin concentration, was analyzed over 14 days of sorghum development and in response to nitrogen application, as these conditions are known to affect dhurrin levels. Collectively, these findings suggest that SbGATA22 may act as a negative regulator of SbCYP79A1 expression and provide a preliminary insight into the molecular regulation of dhurrin biosynthesis in sorghum.

Chemical Profile, Antioxidant Activity and α-Glucosidase Inhibition of Sea Grape Caulerpa lentillifera Collected from Different Sites in Thailand

Caulerpa lentillifera (sea grapes) stands out for its nutritional profile and associated health advantages. Seaweeds, including sea grapes, exhibit diverse chemical compositions that are influenced by environmental conditions. This study aimed to compare the chemical composition, metabolite content, antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibition of sea grapes collected at different sites (Phetchaburi and Trang) and at different times during the month of January, April, and July 2022. Both collection times and sites have influenced all assessed parameters. The sea grapes collected from Trang had a significantly higher amount of metabolite, antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity than those from Phetchaburi at p < 0.001. The highest amount of phenolic compound (93.76 ± 2.39 mg GAE/g extract) and reducing power (EC50 = 25.86 ± 0.20 mg/mL) occurred in sea grapes in April month, while those collected in January and April had high DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging (EC50 < 7.50 mg/mL). The highest inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (EC50 = 19.27 ± 0.40 mg/mL) was found in the sea grapes collected in January. The LC-QTOF MS/MS result of sea grape extract indicated similar compounds in amino acids, fatty acids, lipids, nucleic acids, carboxylic acids, cyanogenic glucosides, steroids, terpenoids and vitamins. The disparity in phenolic profiles between Phetchaburi (9) and Trang (14) sea grapes was related to higher phenolic compound and flavonoid contents, coupled with antioxidant properties in Trang. These findings supported the possible use of sea grapes from Trang as a reservoir of bioactive compounds. HIGHLIGHTS Chemical profile and content, antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibition of sea grapes was analyzed Collection times and sites affected all measured parameters of sea grapes extract Sea grapes from Trang exhibited higher all measured parameters than Phetchaburi A novel chemical profiling of sea grapes was displayed via LC-QTOF MS/MS analysis GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Preference of dhurrin‐free sorghum by ewes

AbstractSorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a resilient forage crop due to its drought tolerance and adaptation to low‐N environments. Sorghum produces a cyanogenic glucoside called dhurrin. The breakdown of dhurrin leads to the release of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), which can cause cyanide toxicity in livestock. Dhurrin‐free sorghum lines have been developed through chemical mutagenesis by mutagenizing the gene for the first enzyme, CYP79A1, in the biosynthetic pathway. The CYP79A1 mutation was bred into sorghum lines to create a dhurrin‐free experimental hybrid. Grazing preference of ewes was assessed when allocated to the dhurrin‐free hybrid and three commercial hybrids. Near isogenic lines (NIL), contrasting in dhurrin production, were also compared for grazing preference. Forage mass was measured before and after grazing to determine the amount of forage mass grazed by the ewes. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was flown to quantify changes in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) over time for each hybrid. The nutritive values of the hybrids were also evaluated. The dhurrin‐free hybrid was grazed 19% and 13% more (p‐value ≤ 0.05) in comparison to the commercial hybrids for the second and third grazing cycles in 2019 and 2020. The NIL Tx623 bmr6 CYP79A1, was grazed 20% more than Tx623 bmr6 in two grazing cycles in 2020. Remote sensing data showed a similar pattern with the dhurrin‐free hybrid having the largest decline in NDVI for three grazing cycles in 2019. Nutritive value of the dhurrin‐free hybrid was similar to the two hybrids with the brown midrib (bmr) trait.

Harnessing the anti-cancer potential of linamarin: A computational study on design and hydrolysis mechanisms of its derivatives

Cassava extracts containing cyanogenic compounds demonstrate anticancer properties. The cyanogenic glucoside linamarin found abundantly in cassava can release hydrogen cyanide (HCN) upon hydrolysis, a potent cytotoxin. However, linamarin's hydrolysis mechanism by human enzymes is poorly delineated and constitutes a bottleneck for therapeutic development. This study aimed to investigate linamarin's hydrolysis mechanism by human β-glucosidase and identify structural derivatives with enhanced hydrolytic potential using density functional theory calculations. Results revealed α-anomeric derivatives as promising, with leaving group ability and steric bulk strongly governing hydrolysability. We identified several linamarin analogs with predicted rapid hydrolysis kinetics that may enable swift cytotoxic HCN release against cancer cells. This investigation enriches understanding of cyanogenic glycoside reactivity to facilitate their development as targeted antineoplastic agents. The identified derivatives set the groundwork for experimental evaluation of enhanced linamarin-inspired compounds as innovative cancer therapeutics.

Metabolic GWAS-based dissection of genetic basis underlying nutrient quality variation and domestication of cassava storage root

BackgroundMetabolites play critical roles in regulating nutritional qualities of plants, thereby influencing their consumption and human health. However, the genetic basis underlying the metabolite-based nutrient quality and domestication of root and tuber crops remain largely unknown.ResultsWe report a comprehensive study combining metabolic and phenotypic genome-wide association studies to dissect the genetic basis of metabolites in the storage root (SR) of cassava. We quantify 2,980 metabolic features in 299 cultivated cassava accessions. We detect 18,218 significant marker-metabolite associations via metabolic genome-wide association mapping and identify 12 candidate genes responsible for the levels of metabolites that are of potential nutritional importance. Me3GT, MeMYB4, and UGT85K4/UGT85K5, which are involved in flavone, anthocyanin, and cyanogenic glucoside metabolism, respectively, are functionally validated through in vitro enzyme assays and in vivo gene silencing analyses. We identify a cluster of cyanogenic glucoside biosynthesis genes, among which CYP79D1, CYP71E7b, and UGT85K5 are highly co-expressed and their allelic combination contributes to low linamarin content. We find MeMYB4 is responsible for variations in cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside contents, thus controlling SR endothelium color. We find human selection affects quercetin 3-O-glucoside content and SR weight per plant. The candidate gene MeFLS1 is subject to selection during cassava domestication, leading to decreased quercetin 3-O-glucoside content and thus increased SR weight per plant.ConclusionsThese findings reveal the genetic basis of cassava SR metabolome variation, establish a linkage between metabolites and agronomic traits, and offer useful resources for genetically improving the nutrition of cassava and other root crops.

Transporter editing in cassava indicates local production of cyanogenic glucosides in, and export from, cassava roots.

Transporter editing in cassava indicates local production of cyanogenic glucosides in, and export from, cassava roots.

Varietal impact on women's labour, workload and related drudgery in processing root, tuber and banana crops: focus on cassava in sub-Saharan Africa.

Roots, tubers and cooking bananas are bulky and highly perishable. In Africa, except for yams, their consumption is mainly after transport, peeling and cooking in the form of boiled pieces or dough, a few days after harvest. To stabilize and better preserve the products and, in the case of cassava, release toxic cyanogenic glucosides, a range of intermediate products have been developed, mainly for cassava, related to fermentation and drying after numerous processing operations. This review highlights, for the first time, the impact of genotypes on labour requirements, productivity and the associated drudgery in processing operations primarily carried out by women processors. Peeling, soaking/grinding/fermentation, dewatering, sieving and toasting steps were evaluated on a wide range of new hybrids and traditional landraces. The review highlights case studies of gari production from cassava. The results show that, depending on the genotypes used, women's required labour can be more than doubled and even the sum of the weights transported along the process can be up to four times higher for the same quantity of end product. Productivity and loads carried between each processing operation are highly influenced by root shape, ease of peeling, dry matter content and/or fiber content. Productivity and the often related experienced drudgery are key factors to be considered for a better acceptance of new genotypes by actors in the value-addition chain, leading to enhanced adoption and ultimately to improved livelihoods for women processors. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Impact of pollen-feeding on egg-laying and cyanogenic glucoside abundance in red postman butterflies

Impact of pollen-feeding on egg-laying and cyanogenic glucoside abundance in red postman butterflies

An Update on Prunus Armeniaca Phytochemical Composition and Biological Activities

The irrational use of drugs has led to antimicrobial resistance and tolerance to most commercial drugs posing a global threat to future management of diseases. Hence there is need to search for new drugs from medicinal edible plants to be incorporated in the nutraceutical management of diseases. The challenges facing the utilization of medicinal edible fruits are the lack of sufficient studies to ascertain their quality, safety and efficacy. Prunus armeniaca (Rosaceae) also known as Apricot is a delicious and most commercial traded fruit globally. Prunus armeniaca can either be consumed as a fresh fruit, dried fruit, processed juice, jam or nectar. This review article purposes to give an up-to-date understanding of the Prunus armeniaca medicinal edible fruit biological activities and phytochemical composition that have been outlined in grey and published literature. Literature has been reviewed using search engines such as Google Scholar, HINARI, Science Direct, PubChem, Sciverse, EBSCO and Scopus. Apricot provides a rich source of phytochemicals including but not limited to polyphenols, alkaloids, flavonoid glycosides, saponins, carotenoids, cyanogenic glucosides, fatty acids, sterol derivatives, volatile components, monosaccharides and polysaccharides. These phytochemicals have shown efficacious and safe biological activity. Biological activities such as antimicrobial, inhibitory activity against several enzymes, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antimutagenic as well as antioxidant activity have been demonstrated. Prunus armeniaca has been utilized in oriental medicine to treat diseases such as leprosy, asthma, leukoderma, bronchitis, constipation, emphysema and nausea. Its safety and toxicity have not been well documented hence the need for evaluation. More studies are needed to elucidated more phytochemicals and biological activities, efficacy, safety and toxicity measures. Prunus armeniaca will provide a source of health promoting health constituent in nutraceutical and new remedy for the emerging resistant human pathogens in the fight against antimicrobial resistance and drug tolerance.

PHARMACOGNOSTICAL, PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL OVERVIEW OF ACALYPHA INDICA LINN. (EUPHORBIACEAE)

Acalypha indica is a plant species found on roadsides and riverbanks throughout India. Native to India and Southeast Asia, Acalypha indica is an evergreen shrub often used for ornamental purposes. As the world becomes increasingly aware of the benefits of plants, the future of Acalypha indica is looking bright. It is an essential medicinal species used extensively for treating patients in the Ayurvedic and Siddha systems of medicine. It is claimed to treat various health conditions and management of chronic diseases. Due to these therapeutic activities, researchers made several studies to evaluate the chemical composition and pharmacological activities produced by the plant. Flavonoids, cyanogenic glucoside (acalyphin), tannins, saponins, and pyranoquinolinone alkaloid (flindersine) are the major chemical constituents present in Acalypha indica. In vitro, and in-vivo studies have been carried out to confirm various pharmacological activities present in this plant. This includes antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-fertility, antivenom, wound healing effect and anti-diabetic activities. They are also used as diuretic, cathartic, anthelmintic and in treating psoriasis. Overall, the potential of Acalypha indica is vast, and its future looks promising. As research progresses, more and more medicinal and ornamental uses may be discovered. This review will summarise all the pharmacological activities registered by this plant and the phytochemicals present in Acalypha indica.

Evaluation of the impact of untreated cassava mill effluent on the physicochemical properties of the soil in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.

Samples of fresh cassava effluent, cassava effluent polluted soil and unpolluted soil were collected during the rainy season to evaluate the effect on the physicochemical characteristics of the soil in Aba, Abia State. The physical and chemical parameters of the untreated cassava mill effluent, untreated cassava mill effluent-polluted soil and unpolluted soil were determined using standard laboratory methods. It was observed that addition of cassava mill effluent to the soil resulted to changes in the physicochemical parameters. The cyanide content, conductivity, turbidity, moisture content, TDS, TSS, TS, total acidity, total alkalinity, total chloride, and magnesium were higher in the contaminated soil samples than the unpolluted soil. The values of pH, Total hardness, calcium hardness, phosphorus, organic carbon, COD and BOD of the contaminated soil samples were lower than those of the unpolluted soil due to high content of hydrogen cyanide present in the contaminated soil. The high cynogenic potential had been attributed to the high cyanogenic glucoside (linamarin and lotaustralin) contained in cassava. The pH range of the untreated cassava mill effluent and the untreated cassava mill effluent polluted soil were completely acidic while the unpolluted soil was neutral indicating that the effluent impacted acidic properties to the soil. Phosphorus buildup in the unpolluted soil can be caused by excessive use of inorganic fertilizer or use of composts and manures high in phosphorus. The effluent from cassava plant when discharged on soil causes physicochemical changes in the soil, which calls for serious concern if the soil will be used for agricultural and other purposes. Therefore, cassava mills must be owned and managed by individuals who have basic knowledge of environmental protection.

Wounding and methyl jasmonate increase cyanogenic glucoside concentrations in Sorghum bicolor via upregulation of biosynthesis.

The cyanogenic glucoside, dhurrin, present in Sorghum bicolor is thought to have multiple functions, including in defence against herbivory. The hormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is also induced by herbivory and is key to instigating defence processes in plants. To investigate whether dhurrin is induced in response to herbivore attack and also to the associated presence of MeJA, sorghum plants were either wounded or exogenous MeJA was applied. We show that specific wounding (pin board and perforation) and the application of MeJA increases dhurrin concentration in leaves and sheath tissue 12 h after treatment. Quantitative PCR shows that the expression of two genes, SbCYP79A1 and SbUGT85B1, involved in the synthesis of dhurrin are significantly induced by exogenous MeJA and by wounding. Analysis of 2 kb of sequence upstream of the start codon of SbCYP79A1 identifies several cis-acting elements that have been linked to MeJA induction. A promoter deletion series, coupled to GFP, and transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana suggests that there are potentially three sequence motifs (~-925 to -976) involved in the binding of transcription factors that result in increased expression of SbCYP79A1 and the synthesis of dhurrin in response to MeJA.

A Review on Cassava Residues as Adsorbents for Removal of Organic and Inorganic Contaminants in Water and Wastewater

An increase in water demand for drinking, agriculture, and industries necessitates the treatment of water and wastewater. Among various conventional treatment techniques available, adsorption is found to be one of the most economical and feasible methods. Adsorbents from plant biomass are effective for the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants. Cassava has gained attention among researchers during the past decades due to its plentiful availability and resilient characteristics. Even though cassava contains cyanogenic glucosides as toxins, it is used in industries for development of various products. Cassava stem, rhizome, peel, and bagasse are industrial residues that are generated in abundance. The present review focusses on factors affecting adsorption using cassava residues, adsorbent preparation and activation methods, equilibrium, mass transfer, kinetics, and thermodynamic studies of adsorption.

Anticipating the unexpected.

This article is a Commentary on Lacchini et al. (2023), 239: 705–719.

Detection and distribution of two dominant alleles associated with the sweet kernel phenotype in almond cultivated germplasm.

Almond [Prunus dulcis Miller (D. A. Webb), syn. Prunus amygdalus L.)] is the major tree nut crop worldwide in terms of production and cultivated area. Almond domestication was enabled by the selection of individuals bearing sweet kernels, which do not accumulate high levels of the toxic cyanogenic glucoside amygdalin. Previously, we showed that the Sweet kernel (Sk) gene, controlling the kernel taste in almond, encodes a basic helix loop helix (bHLH) transcription factor regulating the amygdalin biosynthetic pathway. In addition, we characterized a dominant allele of this gene, further referred to as Sk-1, which originates from a C1036→T missense mutation and confers the sweet kernel phenotype. Here we provide evidence indicating that the allele further referred to as Sk-2, originally detected in the cultivar "Atocha" and arising from a T989→G missense mutation, is also dominantly inherited and confers the sweet kernel phenotype in almond cultivated germplasm. The use of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from genotyping by sequencing (GBS) for population structure and hierarchical clustering analyses indicated that Sk-2 occurs in a group of related genotypes, including the widespread cultivar "Texas", descending from the same ancestral population. KASP and dual label functional markers were developed for the accurate and high-throughput selection of the Sk-1 and Sk-2 alleles, and the genotyping of a panel of 134 almond cultivars. Overall, our results provide further insights on the understanding of the almond cultivation history. In addition, molecular marker assays and genotypic data presented in this study are expected to be of major interest for the conduction of almond breeding programs, which often need to select sweet kernel individuals in segregant populations.

Cyanogenesis, a Plant Defence Strategy against Herbivores.

Plants and phytophagous arthropods have coevolved in a long battle for survival. Plants respond to phytophagous feeders by producing a battery of antiherbivore chemical defences, while herbivores try to adapt to their hosts by attenuating the toxic effect of the defence compounds. Cyanogenic glucosides are a widespread group of defence chemicals that come from cyanogenic plants. Among the non-cyanogenic ones, the Brassicaceae family has evolved an alternative cyanogenic pathway to produce cyanohydrin as a way to expand defences. When a plant tissue is disrupted by an herbivore attack, cyanogenic substrates are brought into contact with degrading enzymes that cause the release of toxic hydrogen cyanide and derived carbonyl compounds. In this review, we focus our attention on the plant metabolic pathways linked to cyanogenesis to generate cyanide. It also highlights the role of cyanogenesis as a key defence mechanism of plants to fight against herbivore arthropods, and we discuss the potential of cyanogenesis-derived molecules as alternative strategies for pest control.