Pterocarpans are derivatives of isoflavonoids found in the family Fabaceae. It is a group of compounds which can be described as benzo-pyrano-furano-benzenes (i.e. 6H-benzofuro[3,2-c]chromene skeleton) which can be formed by coupling of the B ring to the 4-one position.Pterocarpans on the National Library of Medicine – Medical Subject Headings
2'-hydroxyisoflavone reductase is the enzyme responsible for the conversion in Cicer arietinum and glyceollin synthase for the production of glyceollins, phytoalexins in soybean.
Known compounds
Bitucarpin A and B, isolated from the aerial parts of Mediterranean plants Bituminaria morisiana and Bituminaria bituminosa Erybraedin A and B, isolated from the stems of Erythrina subumbrans and C, isolated from the leaves of Bituminaria morisianaNew cytotoxic prenylated isoflavonoids from Bituminaria morisiana. Cottiglia Filippo, Casu Laura, Bonsignore Leonardo, Casu Mariano, Floris Costantino, Leonti Marco, Gertsch Juerg and Heilmann Jörg, Planta medica 71 (3) (2005), pp. 254–260 Erythrabyssin II, erystagallin A, erythrabissin-1, and erycristagallin isolated from the stems of Erythrina subumbrans Glycinol, glyceollidin I and II, glyceollins (glyceollin I, II, III and IV), found in the soybean (Glycine max) Glycyrrhizol A, isolated from the root of the Chinese licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) Maackiain, isolated from the roots of Maackia amurensis subsp. Buergeri Medicarpin, found in Medicago truncatula Morisianine, isolated from the seeds of Bituminaria morisiana Orientanol A, isolated from the wood of Erythrina orientalis Phaseolin, found in French bean seeds Pisatin, found in Pisum sativum Striatine, isolated from aerial parts of Mundulea striata Trifolirhizin, found in Sophora flavescens
References
External links Superpathway of pterocarpan biosynthesis (via formononetin) on metacyc.org Pterocarpans on the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database