PHENOLIC 

 SUBSTANCES 



This large and diversified group of compounds con- 

 tains a number of classes of substances which are 

 well known. They have been extensively investigated 

 in spite of a relative lack of economic value within 

 the group. Except for a few physiologically active 

 compounds, such as phloridzin and, according 

 to some reports, rutin, the phenohcs are of little 

 pharmacological interest, i Even within the plant in 

 which they occur no physiological function is readily 

 apparent for most phenolics, though some have been 

 found to be effective inhibitors of seed germination 



iSome isoflavones, particularly those which form a 4th 

 ring and are therefore rather sterol-like in general configuration, 

 exhibit estrogenic activity. A potent estrogen of this type is ob- 

 tainable from Butea superba (Bickoff, 1961). 



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