Plant conjugates

The conjugation of xenobiotic compounds In plants has been described In relation to that In some other life forms In the first section of this Symposium. It Is apparent that the processes are similar among among the various taxa but that some notable differences are found both In the chemistry and the disposition of the conjugates. This chapter deals with a relationship between plants and animals, mostly mammals, and therefore a comparison of conjugation In plants and animals Is shown In Table I. The observed differences are Important because It Is from these differences that the requirement to study the fate of xenobiotic plant conjugates In animals Is derived. 

The anticipated fate of xenobiotic plant conjugates in mammals is that they will be hydrolyzed at the conjugating bond and processed as phase I metabolites (or possibly as the parent if an alcohol, phenol, carboxylic acid, etc.). Relatively few such studies have been reported to date but the purpose of this chapter is to review the available results and to judge whether or not the expectation is justified and whether or not generalizations may be useful. Macromolecular conjugates (bound residues) are also considered but, in the absence of enough definitive data, only approaches to their study are suggested. 

I) the tendency overall is for plant conjugates to be hydrolyzed by animals. 

---