Planta Med 1983; 47(1): 7-10
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-969938
Research Articles

© Hippokrates Verlag Stuttgart

Biotransformation of Monoterpenes by Mentha Cell Lines

Conversion of Pulegone-Substituents and Related Unsaturated α-β KetonesD. Aviv, A. Dantes, E. Krochmal, E. Galun[1]
  • Department of Plant Genetics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
Further Information

Publication History

1982

Publication Date:
26 March 2007 (online)

Abstract

Previous results indicated that all tested cell suspension lines derived from various Mentha chemotypes were capable to biotransform (-) menthone to (+)-neomentol but only some of these lines converted (+)-pulegone to (+)-isomenthone. In order to quest whether only the natural secondary metabolites or also other compounds with similarities to pulegone are biohydrogenated by Mentha cell suspensions, we incubated such suspensions with 5 unsaturated α-beta; ketones. No conversion was detected when mesityl oxide, trans-6-tert. butyl pulegone or 3-isopropylidine-9-methyl-decalone-2 were incubated with Mentha cells, while saturation of the α-β double bond of 2-isopropylidine cyclohexanone and of trans-6-methyl pulegone was observed in suspensions of those cell lines which are capable of pulegone transformation. Suspensions of Mentha cell lines which were incapable to hydrogenate pulegone did not biotransform the two latter pulegone analogues.

1 The Irene and David Schwartz Professor of Plant Genetics

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