Table 3
(continued)
Biosynthetic
pathway
Class of secondary
metabolites
Taxonomic distribution
Example
Effect on animals
2. Positive effect on
fitness
• Stimulates egg-laying of specialist
cabbage white butterflies Pieris rapae
and Pieris brassicae [9, 170]
Shikimic
acid
Phenol-phenyl
propanoid
C3)• Widely distributed in vascular plants.
* Tannins and lignin are not found in
animals [75, 188]
Gallic acid (Hydrolysable
tannin) [in Quercus sp.]
1. Toxic and deterrent effect
• In vertebrate herbivores, tannins can
decrease protein digestion. Tannins are
especially prone to oxidize in insects
with high pH guts, forming
semiquinone radicals and quinones, as
well as other reactive oxygen species.
Tannin toxicity in insects is thought to
result from the production of high levels
of reactive oxygen species. [14]
• Hydrolysable tannins can reduce
feeding by mammals at relatively high
concentrations in artificial diets [99]
• In vitro, gallic acid showed
antibacterial activity [15]
2. Positive effect on
fitness
• In natural populations of oaks, leaf
and gall concentration of hydrolysable
tannins positively correlate with wasp
parasite diversity and density [162]
Phytohormone
*Mixed
biosynthetic path
• Widely distributed in angiosperms and
gymnosperms. [18]
1. Negative effect on plants’
consumers by the eliciting of plant
inducible defenses
• Hormonal regulator of plants’
induced responses to herbivores attack
62
E. Kariñho-Betancourt
(continued)
Biosynthetic
pathway
Class of secondary
metabolites
Taxonomic distribution
Example
Effect on animals
2. Positive effect on
fitness
• Stimulates egg-laying of specialist
cabbage white butterflies Pieris rapae
and Pieris brassicae [9, 170]
Shikimic
acid
Phenol-phenyl
propanoid
C3)• Widely distributed in vascular plants.
* Tannins and lignin are not found in
animals [75, 188]
Gallic acid (Hydrolysable
tannin) [in Quercus sp.]
1. Toxic and deterrent effect
• In vertebrate herbivores, tannins can
decrease protein digestion. Tannins are
especially prone to oxidize in insects
with high pH guts, forming
semiquinone radicals and quinones, as
well as other reactive oxygen species.
Tannin toxicity in insects is thought to
result from the production of high levels
of reactive oxygen species. [14]
• Hydrolysable tannins can reduce
feeding by mammals at relatively high
concentrations in artificial diets [99]
• In vitro, gallic acid showed
antibacterial activity [15]
2. Positive effect on
fitness
• In natural populations of oaks, leaf
and gall concentration of hydrolysable
tannins positively correlate with wasp
parasite diversity and density [162]
Phytohormone
*Mixed
biosynthetic path
• Widely distributed in angiosperms and
gymnosperms. [18]
1. Negative effect on plants’
consumers by the eliciting of plant
inducible defenses
• Hormonal regulator of plants’
induced responses to herbivores attack
62
E. Kariñho-Betancourt