Hymenaea

Fig. 2.48 Compounds 173-175, sesquiterpenes from Hymenaea verrucosa. Compounds 176 and 111, terpenes from Minthostachys verticillata...

Leaf Exudates from Dldymocarpus, Larrea, Hymenaea, and... 

From the plant Agathis robusta a group of labdane isomers at C-13 have been isolated and related to 13-e/n-manool after interconvertion using lithium in diaminoethane [110]. The Hymenaea species, i.e H. ablongifolia and H. parvifolia, have been studied and enantiopinifolic acid as well as guamaic acid have been isolated, while enantio-13-ep/-labdanolic acid has been isolated from Trachylobium verrucosum [111]. 

The second most plentiftil amber, that ftom the Dominican Republic, is younger, at between 25 and 15 million years old. Some of it is believed to be die resin finm a shrub of the genus Hymenaea, but several different types occur, with varying ages and different physical properties. 

Most copals come from leguminous trees, especially the genus Hymenaea, which has also produced some ambers. Those fi om West Africa come from the genus Copaifera. 

This copal, like the local amber, is from the genus Hymenaea. It is the typical pale yellow colour of most copals, and is extremely rich in plant and animal inclusions which are beautifully preserved and very distinct in the clear, pale material. It is usually sold cut and polished to show off these inclusions (Figs 1.34 and 1.3). 

Inflammation Bladder and prostate Hymenaea courbaril L. and other Hymenaea spp. (Leguminosae) trunk sap... 

Langenheim J. H. (1995) Biology of amber-producing trees focus on case studies of Hymenaea and Agathis. In Timber, Resinite, and Fossil Resins (eds. K. B. Anderson and J. C. Crelling). American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, pp. 1-31. 

Reports are available on the discovery of insect anti-feeding substances and anti-juvenile hormones, on the homology of biosynthetic routes and its basis in chemotaxonomy, and on the role of terpenoids in chemical ecology. Further speculations have been made about the biosynthesis of various classes of sesquiterpenoid based on the results of a study of the quantitative co-occurrence of these in the genus Hymenaea. 

Pinaceae, usually are diterpenes with a 5a,10p-configura-tion. Many plants serve as commerical sources of resins the genera Hymenaea and Copaifera (Fabaceae) and Pinus and Agatha (gymnosperms) are probably the best known producers. Resins are used as feedstocks for products such as insecticides, incense, varnishes, rosin, and adhesives, and as components of drugs and polishes. Fossilized deposits of diterpenes are known as amber (Langenheim, 1990). 

Modem resin from Rfo Grande, Puerto Rico, identified as Dacryodes excelsa (family Burseraceae) and called tabonuco, gives spectra (Figure 5) that are identical in almost all details to the published spectra of the Burseraceae resin, probably of genus Bursera from Mexico (Figure 2 in ref. 6). This observation establishes the chemical identity of these two materials. As Burseraceae resins are triterpenoid (in contrast to diterpenoid Agathis and Hymenaea), we conclude that Dacryodes resin also is triterpenoid. 

Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart, ex Hayne Kielmeyera coriacea ( Spreng.) Mart. 

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