Phenolic Compounds in Trees and Shrubs of Central Europe

Abstract

Plants produce specific structures constituting barriers, hindering the penetration of pathogens, while they also produce substances inhibiting pathogen growth. These compounds are secondary metabolites, such as phenolics, terpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, resins, tannins and alkaloids. Bioactive compounds are secondary metabolites from trees and shrubs and are used in medicine, herbal medicine and cosmetology. To date, fruits and flowers of exotic trees and shrubs have been primarily used as sources of bioactive compounds. In turn, the search for new sources of bioactive compounds is currently focused on native plant species due to their availability. The application of such raw materials needs to be based on knowledge of their chemical composition, particularly health-promoting or therapeutic compounds. Research conducted to date on European trees and shrubs has been scarce. This paper presents the results of literature studies conducted to systematise the knowledge on phenolic compounds found in trees and shrubs native to central Europe. The aim of this review is to provide available information on the subject and to indicate gaps in the present knowledge.

A Guide to Elucidate the Hidden Multicomponent Layered Structure of Plant Cuticles by Raman Imaging

“…The lipidic fraction of the cuticle is represented by palmitic acid (C16), in perfect agreement with the literature, which reports cutin being mainly composed of C16 and C18 fatty acids (Holloway, 1994;Lara et al, 2015). Kaempferol is singled out as representing a flavonoid component and is the dominant flavone in spruce needles (Ganthaler et al, 2017;Szwajkowska-Michałek et al, 2020). Also, several hydroxybenzoic acids were found in needles (Szwajkowska-Michałek et al, 2020), represented in our analysis by methyl-4-methoxybenzoate.…”

“…Kaempferol is singled out as representing a flavonoid component and is the dominant flavone in spruce needles (Ganthaler et al, 2017;Szwajkowska-Michałek et al, 2020). Also, several hydroxybenzoic acids were found in needles (Szwajkowska-Michałek et al, 2020), represented in our analysis by methyl-4-methoxybenzoate. Lastly, the algorithm also attributed a minor role to a polysaccharide.…”

The Study of Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Properties of Poplar-Type Polish Propolis Considering Local Flora Diversity in Relation to Antibacterial and Anticancer Activities in Human Breast Cancer Cells

“…Phenolic acids (caffeic, ferulic, benzoic, p-coumaric) dominated in the analyzed EEPs may most likely come from poplar buds but also from other deciduous trees in which they are present, e.g., Betula sp., Prunus sp., Quercus sp. [ 44 , 45 , 46 ] and also conifers ( Pinus sp., Picea sp., Abies sp.) [ 47 ].…”

Extractives of Stemwood and Sawmill Residues of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) for Biorefining in Four Climatic Regions in Finland—Phenolic and Resin Acid Compounds

“…The present study evaluated the variations in phenolic and resin acid extractives within Scots pine tree stems and showed some notable differences between the four climatic regions in Finland. According to the available literature, the amount and composition of the extractives can vary significantly between trees of the same species due to genetic factors, growth location, climatic conditions and the rate of tree growth [8,9,12,[42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51]. Furthermore, extractive occurrence and specified extractive contents vary between tree age classes/felling types, heartwood/sapwood, forest site types, and between sawmill residues and standing trees.…”