[Metabolism of phenolic compounds in plants]

A review is given on mechanisms of hydroxylation (the introduction of the first hydroxyl group into C-2 and C-4 positions of cinnamic and benzoic acids; the introduction of the second and the third hydroxyl groups into molecules of phenolcarboxylic acids and flavonoids), dehydrogenation (with participation of phenol oxydase and peroxydase) and deep oxidative degradation of phenolic compounds in plant tissues and cell cultures. Data on compartmentation of respective enzyme systems are also considered.