Medicarpin is a

pterocarpan Pterocarpans are derivatives of isoflavonoids found in the family Fabaceae. It is a group of compounds which can be described as benzo-pyrano-furano-benzenes (i.e. 6''H''- enzofuro,2-chromene skeleton) which can be formed by coupling of the B rin ...

, a derivative of

isoflavonoid Isoflavonoids are a class of flavonoid phenolic compounds, many of which are biologically active. Isoflavonoids and their derivatives are sometimes referred to as phytoestrogens, as many isoflavonoid compounds have biological effects via the estr ...

Natural occurrences

Medicarpin is found in ''

Medicago truncatula ''Medicago truncatula'', the barrelclover, strong-spined medick, barrel medic, or barrel medick, is a small annual legume native to the Mediterranean region that is used in genomic research. It is a low-growing, clover-like plant tall with trifol ...

'' and ''

Swartzia madagascariensis ''Bobgunnia madagascariensis'' ( bm, samagara), also called the snake bean plant, is a species of legume in the family Fabaceae. Description ''Bobgunnia madagascariensis'' is a small deciduous tree, 3–4 m tall. The plant has large pods that ...

''. It can also be found in ''

Maackia amurensis ''Maackia amurensis'', commonly known as the Amur maackia, is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae that can grow 15 metres (49 ft) tall. The species epithet and common names are from the Amur River region, where the tree originated; it o ...

'' cell cultures. The root nodule formation by ''

Sinorhizobium meliloti ''Ensifer meliloti'' (formerly ''Rhizobium meliloti'' and ''Sinorhizobium meliloti'') are an aerobic, Gram-negative, and diazotrophic species of bacteria. ''S. meliloti'' are motile and possess a cluster of peritrichous flagella. ''S. meliloti'' ...

'' is apparently dependent on the flavonoids pathway.

Metabolism

Pterocarpin synthase has 3 substrates : medicarpin, NADP⁺ and H₂O, and 3 products : vestitone, NADPH and H⁺. Pterocarpin synthase reaction

References

Pterocarpans {{aromatic-stub