Phytochemistry is a scientific discipline whose object is the isolation, analysis, purification, elucidation of the structure and characterization of the biological activity of various substances produced by plants.
Plants produce a variety of substances, secondary metabolism products, some responsible for the coloration and aromas of flowers and fruits, others linked to ecological interactions, such as the attraction of pollinators. Currently, it has been shown that mainly most of them participate in the plant defense mechanism. Among the latter, phytoalexins, allelopathic, are mentioned, to name a few. The reason for these metabolites, also called phytochemicals, allows a range of uses in agriculture and medicine. In addition, the multiple functions they present in plants allows the search for new natural agrochemicals, such as insecticides, herbicides, growth regulators, etc.
For its study phytochemistry allows to isolate and identify the active principles of numerous plants with important biological activity, such is the case of medicinal plants. Due to the potential of these metabolites, the investigations have not only been directed to the elucidation of chemical structures and evaluation of their biological activity by bioassays, but also to the in vitro culture.
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