Disease relevance of Monoterpenes

• After expression in Escherichia coli and enzyme assay with geranyl diphosphate as substrate, subsequent analysis of the terpene products by chiral phase gas chromatography and mass spectrometry showed that these sequences encoded a (-)-limonene synthase, a myrcene synthase, and a (-)-pinene synthase that produces both alpha-pinene and beta-pinene [1].
• METHODS AND RESULTS: Agar plates inoculated with Escherichia coli (DH5alpha) or Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC strain number 8532) were exposed in a large air-tight chamber to candle flames combined with the volatile bactericidal compounds beta-pinene and orange oil [2].

High impact information on Monoterpenes

• The single C-C scission pathway of the other alkoxy radical from beta-pinene possesses a very low (approximately 4 kcal/mol) barrier [3].
• The main constituents of the oil of Ocimum gratissimum were gamma-terpinene (21.9 %), beta-phellandrene (21.1 %), limonene (11.4 %) and thymol (11.2 %), while the oil of Cymbopogon citratus contained geranial (32.8 %), neral (29.0 %), myrcene (16.2 %) and beta-pinene (10.5 %) [4].
• Gas chromatography analysis of the essential oils of leaves and bark collected from the newly discovered tree Pleodendron costaricense identified alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, beta-myrcene, beta-thujene, and beta-caryophyllene as their major constituents [5].
• OBJECTIVE: To correlate skin absorption and elimination kinetics of four cyclic terpenes, namely alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, eucalyptol and terpinen-4-ol, applied as neat substance with their physicochemical properties [6].
• Principal component analysis (PCA) showed a positive association among SO(2), HPCD, malondialdehyde, sabinene and beta-pinene [7].

Biological context of Monoterpenes

• Biotransformation of (-)beta-pinene by Aspergillus niger ATCC 9642 [8].

Anatomical context of Monoterpenes

• To clarify the existence of a receptor protein for sensory irritants in trigeminal nerve endings, D- [i.e. (+)] and L- [i.e. (-)] enantiomers of alpha- and beta-pinene as models of nonreactive chemicals were evaluated for their potency in outbred OF1 and NIH/S mice using ASTM E981-84 bioassay [9].
• Alpha-pinene and beta-pinene both exhibited inhibitory effect on the contraction of rat ileum, but the inhibitory effect of beta-pinene on KCl contraction was more pronounced [10].

Associations of Monoterpenes with other chemical compounds

• Reactions of the alkoxy radicals formed following OH-addition to alpha-pinene and beta-pinene. C-C bond scission reactions [3].
• Eucalyptus camaldulensis: volatiles from immature flowers and high production of 1,8-cineole and beta-pinene by in vitro cultures [11].
• Hyptis verticillata yielded a series of lignans as well as sideritoflavone, rosmarinic acid and (R)-5-hydroxypyrrolidin-2-one and is rich in essential oil (rich in alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and thymol) [12].
• This study shows that Ferula gummosa essential oil and its various extracts are relaxant of rat isolated ileum and that at least part of their inhibitory effect is due to alpha-pinene and beta-pinene components [10].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Monoterpenes

• Mixed with paraffin at 3% and 10% and used for double embedding of paraffin infiltrated tissues, Piccolyte 115 permits good, complete sections virtually free of folds or wrinkles in less time and with less effort than with paraffin embedding alone [13].

References