Sesquiterpenes in Cereals and Spices

Abstract

This chapter provides an in-depth overview of the sesquiterpenes found in cereals and spices. These aliments provide an important source of nutrients for our health, and they are consumed daily. Thus, a knowledge of the constituents is vital to understand the origin of their benefits for human health as well as the possible side effects that can arise upon ingestion. Metabolite routes are detailed, being also provided a deep understanding of their numerous structures and bioactivities, to be used as food supplement or active ingredient in drugs. Among bioactivities found in the literature for these natural compounds, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or anticancer is remarkable.

Furthermore, we present a broad study of sesquiterpenes in cereals. We focus on trichothecenes, a family of mycotoxins, which represent a big concern worldwide. A study of their biotransformations in humans and animals, and their toxicity for the organism, is revised. In case of spices and miscellaneous food, a classification of their sesquiterpenes constituents present in the consumable parts was analyzed, showing the relevance of the structure variability in the activity.