Phytochemical variation

Binns, S. E., Arnason, J. T. and Baum, B. R. 2002. Phytochemical variation within populations of Echinacea angustifolia (Asteraceae). Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 30 837-854. 

McIntyre KL, Harris CS, Saleem A, et al (2009) Seasonal phytochemical variation of anti-glycation principles in lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium). Planta Med 75 286-292... 

Binns SE, Livesey JF, Arnason JT, Baum BR. Phytochemical variation in Echinacea from roots and flowerheads of wild and cultivated populations. J Agric Food Chem 2002 50 3673-3687. 

The authors suggest that altitudinal variation in phytochemical constituents remains unknown. That this is factually incorrect is revealed by the well-known work on the effect of elevation on cyanogenic glycosides, as shown in the case of the clovers above, as well as in the case of alkaloid variation in Berberis just described. 

Research is needed to evaluate the interactions of all cultivation variables that influence plant product composition. Climate induces a large variation in levels of phytochemicals and so data from more than one year are needed. This is reinforced by the global climatic changes we are currently facing and also based on future predictions of climate shifts. 

Koivikko R, Loponen J, Pihlaja K, Jormalainen V (2007) High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of phlorotannins from the brown alga Fucus vesiculosus. Phytochem Anal 18 326-332 Koricheva J (2002a) Meta-analysis of sources of variation in fitness costs of plant antiherbivore defenses. Ecology 83 176-190... 

Berenbaum MR, Zangerl AR. (1996). Phytochemical diversity adaptation or random variation. In JT Romeo, JA Saunders, P Barbosa [Eds.), Phytochemical diversity and redundancy in ecological interactions (pp. 1-24). Plenum Press, New York. 

The variation in phytochemical levels between Echinacea preparations is apparent. Many researchers have suggested that standardization of phytochemicals in Echinacea products is needed. However, standardization of the products is difficult due to the complexity of the phytochemicals, the lack of understanding regarding interaction between individual phytochemicals... 

Many chemotaxonomic studies have been published that consists of lists of phytochemical data, but a significant number of studies are now appearing that probe such questions as the genetics of terpenoid formation, hybridization and clonal variation, and biochemical evolution. Reviews have appeared on the chemotaxonomy of flowering plants,435 and of terpenoid formation in particular,436 on chemistry in botanical classification,437 on leaf oils of conifers,438 and on biochemical evolution in plants 439 the last named is comprehensive and quite outstanding. 

Berenbaum, M.R. and Zangerl, A.R. (1996) Phytochemical diversity adaption or random variation Recent Adv. Phytochem., 30,1-24. 

This section reviews phytochemical studies concerned with geographical and clonal variation of terpenoid content, variation during the growing season, taxonomic and evolutionary implications, hybridization, and genetics of terpenoid development. 

In addition, the initial source of variation in enzyme functions might depend on random mutations that occurred in their genes and the chromosomal rearrangements for enzymes which produce diverse llavonoid pigments as their final functional phytochemicals. The functional variations might occur in different parts of the plant, generating different evolutionary paths [22],... 

Since climate cannot be standardised in the real world, it follows that climatic variations from one year to the next, and from one area to another, can result in significant variation which must be monitored through chemical or chromatographic assays for the presence of those phytochemicals known to have therapeutic effects or which could be used as markers for the quality of the plants. 

Essential Oils and Chemotaxonomy.—This section reviews the literature of the past year for essential oil analyses, but covers the past two years (see Vol. 8, p. 19) for phytochemical papers reporting variation of monoterpenoid content according to geographical, seasonal, and environmental factors, taxonomic and evolutionary implications, hybridization, and genetics of terpenoid development. For the previous report on Chemotaxonomy, see Vol. 7, p. 222. 

Berenbaum, M. R. and Zangerl, A. R. (1996). Phytochemical diversity. Adaptation or random variation In Phytochemical Diversity and Redundancy in Ecological Interactions. (ed. J. T. Romeo, J. A. Saunders and... 

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