P-Ecdysone

It is not too surprising that many plants produce ecdysteroids to defend themselves against potential insect pests. The so-called phyto-ecdysones have a potent molt-inducing effect, and some of them may be even more potent than p-ecdysone. Gymnosperms and ferns often contain much of phyto-ecdysones. Bracken (Pteridium aquilium) and the rhizomes of the well-known liquorice fern (Polypodium vulgare), for instance, have up to 1% of their dry weight of p-ecdysone, and the rhizomes of liquorice can be used as a commercial source of P-ecdysones. A Siberian medicinal plant (Leuzea carthamoides) was recently studied by Zeleny et al. (1997). The plant has as... 

CTiolesterol or other sterols available from the diet or gut microflora are converted to the active hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (p-ecdysone or ecdys-terone) through several oxidative steps involving CYP enzymes. The last step is oxidation of a-ecdysone to P-ecdysone, which can occur in many tissues, such as in the organ called the fat body. 

P-Ecdyson (P-echdysterone, crustecdyson, 20-hydroxyechdyson) [5289-74-7] M 480.7, m 240-242°, 245-247°, [a] g +66° (c 1, MeOH). Crystallise 3-ecdyson from water, tetrahydrofuran/petroleum ether, MeOH and EtOAc after chromatographic purification. It has Xjnax (EtOH) at 240nm (s 12,670 M cm i). [Also IR NMR Hiippi Siddall JAm Chem Soc 89 6799 1967, Kametani et al. Tetrahedron Lett 21 4855 1980, Beilstein 8 IV 343 ]... 

Eedycterone, p-ecdysone, crustecdysone, 20-hy-droxyecdysone a molting hormone, M, 480.65, m.p. 238 °C, found together with Ecdysone (see) in pupae of silkworms (Bombyx mori) in amounts of 2.5 mg/ 500 kg. It has also been isolated from other insects and crustaceans and, more recently, from many plants, including Lemmaphyllum microphyllum Presl., Podocarpus elatus and Trillium smalli. E. differs from ecdysone in having an extra hydroxyl group at position 20. 

Lastrea japonica Copel. = Metathelypteris japonica Ching) P-Ecdysone (807) 430... 

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