A meroterpene (or meroterpenoid) is a chemical compound having a partial
terpenoid
The terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, are a class of naturally occurring organic compound, organic chemicals derived from the 5-carbon compound isoprene and its derivatives called terpenes, diterpenes, etc. While sometimes used interchangeabl ...
structure.
Examples
Terpenophenolics
Terpenophenolics are compounds that are part terpenes, part
natural phenols.
Plants in the genus ''
Humulus'' and ''
Cannabis'' produce terpenophenolic metabolites, such as
humulone and
tetrahydrocannabinol respectively. Other examples of terpenophenolics from plants include
bakuchiol and
lapachol.
The antibiotic
marinone produced by marine
bacteria
Bacteria (; : bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one Cell (biology), biological cell. They constitute a large domain (biology), domain of Prokaryote, prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micr ...
is another example.
Terpenophenolics can also be isolated from animals. The terpenophenolics
methoxyconidiol,
epiconicol and
didehydroconicol, isolated from the
ascidian ''
Aplidium aff.
densum'', show antiproliferative activity.
References
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