Contents
Characteristics of friedelin
What is friedelin?
Friedelin is a type of terpene that is known as triterpene, because it is made up of thirty carbons.
Friedelin is a type of terpenoid, that is, it is a chemically modified organic compound, derived from isoprene (an organic compound with five carbon atoms).
Examples of terpenes and terpenoids in the plant world
- The essential oils of plants such as orange, lemon, eucalyptus, pines and many others contain terpenes such as limonene, eucalyptol or pinene.
- Retinol is another example of a terpenoid, and is also the main form of vitamin A in human diets. From vegetable carotenes, retinal is formed, which is derived in retinol.
What function does friedelin have?
This triterpenoid is a plant metabolite that has been found to play an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic on the human body .
What plants contain this chemical compound?
Some of the plants richest in friedelin are common violet (Viola odorata, 160 *PPM, found in the leaves), West Indian welm (Guazuma ulmifolia, 430 *PPM, found in the bark) and especially species such as African plum or red stinkwood (Prunus africana, 28900 *PPM, found in the bark).
(*PPM = Parts per million, unit of measure to calculate concentration.)
