Phenolics, alkaloids, saponins and cyanogenic glycosides.pdf

S. Mali, R.M. Borges / Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 31 (2003) 1221–12461235cause greater deterrence to herbivores when they co-occur than when they occurindependently owing to a synergistic effect, as was found for the seeds ofErythrophleum guineense (Caesalpiniaceae) (Kerharo and Adam, 1974). If this is thegeneral case, then alkaloids and saponins may be expected to co-occur, or at leastthere does not appear to be any biological reason to expect a negative associationbetween these compounds. In our study we were unable to find any clear patternof segregation between alkaloids and saponins and also little evidence of positiveassociation. Much more work is needed in this area.5. SummaryIn summary, we have presented data on the correspondence between protein-precipitatingassays and chemical tests for tannin activity; we have also measured bothcondensed and hydrolysable tannins (gallotannins and ellagitannins) in a variety ofplant parts, analysed fibre contents and screened for three types of toxins in plantsfrom a wide array of families and orders within a tropical seasonal cloud forestin India.AcknowledgementsThis research was funded by a grant to RMB from the United States Fish andWildlife Service. We thank the Wildlife Institute of India for collaboration. We thankHema Somanathan for helping with data collection and analysis. We are grateful toDoyle McKey for useful suggestions throughout the study, and for helpful commentson this manuscript. We thank Anne Hagerman for providing the quebracho tanninand the protocols for tannin analysis.Appendix A