Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
06:54
Elucidating the Metabolism of 2,4-Dibromophenol in Plants
Published on: February 10, 2023
Biological reactive intermediates (BRIs) formed from botanical dietary supplements
Birgit M Dietz1, Judy L Bolton
1Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy and UIC/NIH Center for Botanical and Dietary Supplements Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Pharmacy, 833 S. Wood Street, M/C 781, Chicago, IL 60612-7231, USA.
Chemico-Biological Interactions
|October 26, 2010
Summary
Some botanical supplements contain compounds that form biological reactive intermediates (BRIs), potentially causing toxicity or protective effects. Understanding BRI reactivity and exposure is key to their safety and efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Phytochemistry
- Toxicology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Botanical dietary supplements are popular due to perceived natural safety.
- Some supplements contain compounds that can form biological reactive intermediates (BRIs).
- BRIs can lead to toxicity or beneficial chemopreventive effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of BRIs from botanical supplements.
- To understand the relationship between BRI reactivity and biological outcomes.
- To explore the dual nature of BRIs in toxicity and chemoprevention.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of known botanical compounds and their metabolites.
- Analysis of chemical structures to predict BRI formation and reactivity.
- Examination of biological targets and effects associated with specific BRIs.
Main Results:
- Safrole from sassafras forms genotoxic DNA adducts.
- Curcumin, xanthohumol, and Z-ligustilide act as stable BRIs inducing detoxification.
- Quinones, quinone methides, and epoxides exhibit intermediate reactivity with dual effects.
Conclusions:
- The toxicity and chemopreventive potential of botanical supplements depend on BRI characteristics.
- Reactivity of BRIs, dose, and exposure time are critical determinants of biological effects.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the complex interactions of botanical BRIs.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Bioactivation and Tissue Toxicity
Bioactivation is a metabolic process that transforms less reactive substances into highly reactive metabolites, initiating tissue toxicity. This transformation can lead to various toxic effects, including carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. Reactive metabolites are classified into two main types: electrophiles and free radicals.Electrophiles are electron-deficient species and are produced primarily by the enzyme cytochrome P-450 during the metabolism of compounds containing carbon, nitrogen, or...
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
01:16Drug Biotransformation: Overview
Pharmaceutical substances known as xenobiotics are predominantly lipophilic and nonionized. This enables them to permeate lipid bilayers, such as cell membranes, and interact with intracellular target receptors. Lipophilic drugs have an advantage in crossing biological barriers and reaching their intended sites of action. However, lipophilic drugs often have a restricted capacity for renal expulsion or elimination from the body. When these drugs enter the kidneys and undergo glomerular...
01:28Drug Biotransformation: Overview
Biotransformation, also known as drug metabolism, is a vital physiological process that chemically alters drugs, facilitating their elimination from the body and terminating their action. This process involves two main phases: phase I and phase II reactions. Phase I reactions, including oxidation, reduction, and hydrolysis, introduce or unmask polar functional groups on the drug molecule, thereby increasing its water solubility. By enhancing water solubility, the drug becomes more hydrophilic...
01:27Phase I Reactions: Reductive Reactions
Phase I biotransformation reductive reactions are chemical processes that modify drugs by introducing or revealing polar functional groups via reduction. Enzymes called reductases catalyze these reactions, playing a pivotal role in drug metabolism by transforming lipophilic drugs into more polar, water-soluble metabolites for easy excretion. An essential type of reductive reaction is the carbonyl group reduction, where aldehydes and ketones are reduced to alcohols. An example is the...
01:19Phase II Reactions: Miscellaneous Conjugation Reactions
Phase II biotransformations are detoxification mechanisms that conjugate xenobiotics with endogenous substances, neutralizing their toxicity.
A key example involves the conjugation of cyanide ions, which impair cellular respiration and alter hemoglobin into non-oxygen-carrying cyanmethemoglobin. To neutralize this threat, a sulfur atom from thiosulphate is transferred to the cyanide ion, catalyzed by the enzyme rhodanese, resulting in an inactive compound called thiocyanate. The production of...
A key example involves the conjugation of cyanide ions, which impair cellular respiration and alter hemoglobin into non-oxygen-carrying cyanmethemoglobin. To neutralize this threat, a sulfur atom from thiosulphate is transferred to the cyanide ion, catalyzed by the enzyme rhodanese, resulting in an inactive compound called thiocyanate. The production of...