Wellness Profiles — Polysaccharides & Mucilages
Inulin is a naturally occurring soluble dietary fibre and plant storage carbohydrate belonging to a family of compounds called fructans. Plants use it primarily as a way to store energy, particul
Wellness Profiles — Terpenoids & Volatile Oils
Taraxerol is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid, a type of plant compound belonging to the broader terpenoid family. It occurs in a variety of plants and has attracted scientific interest because of its potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and other biological activities.
Taraxerol should not be confused with taraxasterol. Although both are naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenes and both can occur in dandelion, they are different chemical compounds.
Much of what is currently known about taraxerol comes from laboratory, cell and animal research. This makes it an interesting compound for health and wellness research, but it does not mean that eating a plant containing taraxerol will produce the same effects observed when purified taraxerol is used experimentally.
One of the most studied areas involving taraxerol is inflammation. Experimental resea
Wellness Profiles — Terpenoids & Volatile Oils
Taraxasterol is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid, a large family of plant compounds belonging to the broader terpenoid group. Its molecular formula is C₃₀H₅₀O.
The name is closely associated with Taraxacum, the genus containing dandelions. Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is one of the best-documented natural sources of taraxasterol, particularly in its roots. However, research has now identified taraxasterol in a much wider variety of plants.
Taraxasterol has attracted scientific attention because laboratory and animal studies suggest several potentially interesting biological activities, particularly involving inflammation, oxidative stress and immune signalling.
Most of this research remains preclinical, however. Finding a biological effect in cells or animals does not establish that eating a taraxasterol-containing plant will produce the same effect in humans.
Triterpenes are a large group of naturally occurring plant compounds belonging to the broader terpenoid family. They are generally built from six isoprene units, creating a 30-carbon structure.
This group includes compounds such as ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, betulinic acid, lupeol, α-amyrin, β-amyrin and taraxasterol.
Unlike many smaller terpenes responsible for the aromas of herbs and flowers, most triterpenes are not highly volatile. They can occur throughout plants, including their leaves, roots, bark, fruits, flowers and protective surface waxes.
Triterpenes continue to receive scientific attention because of their biological activity and their presence in many edible, medicinal and traditionally used plants.
Research into triterpenes has explored several areas of health and wellness.
Inflammatory processes: Some triterpenes have demonstrated effects on pathways involved in inflammatory responses in labo
Sodium is an essential mineral and electrolyte that the human body needs in relatively small amounts. Although sodium is often discussed mainly in connection with salt and high-sodium diets, sodium itself performs several important functions i
Sesquiterpene lactones are a diverse group of naturally occurring plant compounds belonging to the larger terpenoid family. They are particularly common in plants belonging to the Asteraceae family, which includes dandelions, sunflowers, boneset, yarrow and many other flowering plants.
Thousands of different sesquiterpene lactones have been identified throughout the plant kingdom. Plants produce these compounds partly as natural chemical defences against insects, microorganisms and other environmental pressures.
For the Wellness Profiles, sesquiterpene lactones are interesting because researchers continue to investigate their relationships with inflammation, cellular signalling, oxidative stress, antimicrobial activity and other biological processes.
Much of this research remains laboratory, animal or preclinical research. Finding a sesquiterpene lactone in a plant does not mean that eating or drinking that plant will produce a particular medical effect.
Vanillic acid is a naturally occurring phenolic acid, part of the larger family of plant compounds known as polyphenols. It is found in a variety of herbs, fruits, vegetables, grains and other plants.
Vanillic acid is chemically related to vanillin, one of the compounds associated with the familiar aroma and flavour of vanilla. However, vanillic acid is found in many plants beyond vanilla.
Within the Wellness Profiles, vanillic acid is included because research has explored its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other potential biological activities. As with many individual plant compounds, much of this research comes from laboratory and animal studies, so it should not be interpreted as evidence that vanillic acid can prevent or treat disease in humans.
The greater health and wellness value comes from consuming a varied diet containing many different plant foods and their naturally occurring nutrients and phytochemicals.
Vanillic acid has demonstrate
Seeds of Hope is a series of free, plant-focused health and wellness events designed to turn knowledge into practical opportunities. Each event focuses on a plant I have been growing, r
Seeds of Hope is a series of free, plant-focused health and wellness events designed to turn knowledge into practical opportunities. Each event focuses on a plant I have been growing, researchi
Seeds of Hope is a series of free, plant-focused health and wellness events designed to turn knowledge into practical opportunities. Each event focuses on a plant I have been growing, res
Seeds of Hope is a series of free, plant-focused health and wellness events designed to turn knowledge into practical opportunities. Each event focuses on plants I have bee
Seeds of Hope is a series of free, plant-focused health and wellness events designed to turn knowledge into practical opportunities. Each event focuses on one of the plants I have been growing
Chlorophyll is the natural green pigment that allows plants to capture light energy for photosynthesis. It is responsible for much of the green colour found in leaves, herbs, grasses, and many vegetables
Zeaxanthin is a naturally occurring carotenoid, belonging to the subgroup known as xanthophylls. It is produced by plants and other photosynthetic organisms and contribu
Category: Carotenoids
Lutein is a naturally occurring xanthophyll carotenoid, a group of plant pigments found especially in green leaves and some yellow, orange, and red plant foods. In green plants, lutein is often hidden visually by the much
Category: Terpenoids & Volatile Oils
Compound Type: Sesquiterpene
Farnesene refers to a group of naturally occurring volatile compounds belonging to the sesquiterpene family. The two main forms are α-farnesene (alpha-farnesene) and β-farnesene (beta-farnesene), with several structural forms occurring naturally.
Farnesenes are produced by many plants and contribute to aroma, plant defence, chemical communication and interactions with insects. β-Farnesene is particularly interesting because one form, (E)-β-farnesene, also functions as an alarm pheromone in many aphid species.
From a health and wellness perspective, farnesene is an interesting plant compound, but research into its direct effects in humans remains limited. Much of the available evidence comes from laboratory studies, animal research or studies of essential oils and plant extracts containing farnesene alongside many other compounds.
Farnesene has bee
Ocimene is a naturally occurring monoterpene, a type of volatile organic compound produced by many plants. It contributes to the aroma of herbs, flowers, fruits, and other vegetation and is often associated with sweet, fresh, green, floral, and herbaceous scents.
The term ocimene can refer to several closely related compounds, including α-ocimene and β-ocimene. β-Ocimene can occur in different forms, including (E)-β-ocimene and (Z)-β-ocimene.
Ocimene is particularly interesting because its role extends beyond aroma. Plants can release β-ocimene as part of their natural chemical communication systems, including interactions involving insects, pollinators, neighbouring plants, and environmental stresses.
For the Wellness Profiles, ocimene provides another example of how the natural aromas produced by plants are connected to complex plant chemistry.
Research into ocimene itself is still developing. Compared with better-studied plant
Citral is a naturally occurring aromatic plant compound belonging to the monoterpene aldehydes, part of the larger family of terpenoids and volatile plant compounds.
It is best known for contributing a strong, fresh lemon-like aroma to many plants. Citral is particularly abundant in plants such as lemongrass, but it can also occur in smaller or more variable amounts in other aromatic herbs, including Sweet Basil.
Citral is actually a mixture of two closely related compounds:
Together, geranial and neral are commonly referred to as citral.
Citral is interesting from a health and wellness perspective because researchers have investigated its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. However, much of this research comes from laboratory and animal studies, so potential therapeutic effects should not automatically be in
Methyl chavicol, more commonly known as estragole, is a naturally occurring aromatic plant compound found in a variety of herbs and other plants. It contributes to the characteristic sweet, herbal, anise-like or licorice-like aroma of plants such as basil, tarragon, fennel and anise.
Although included in the Terpenoids & Volatile Oils section of the Wellness Profiles because it occurs within the volatile aromatic fraction of plants, estragole is more precisely classified as a phenylpropanoid and alkenylbenzene, rather than a true terpene.
Estragole is particularly useful for understanding plant-based health and wellness because it demonstrates an important principle: the presence of a natural compound does not automatically mean that consuming that compound in concentrated or isolated form provides the same experience, benefits or safety profile as using the whole plant.
Estragole
1,8-Cineole, also widely known as eucalyptol, is a naturally occurring aromatic plant compound belonging to the monoterpene family.
It contributes to the fresh, cooling, camphor-like aroma associated with plants such as eucalyptus, rosemary, sage, peppermint and some members of the mint family.
Plants produce volatile compounds such as 1,8-cineole as part of their natural chemistry. The amount present can vary considerably depending on the plant species, variety, growing conditions, geographic location, maturity and other factors.
For health and wellness research, 1,8-cineole is particularly interesting because of its connections with respiratory function, inflammation, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity. Research has included both laboratory studies and human clinical research, particularly involving respiratory conditions.
