Rotenoids are naturally occurring substances containing a cis-fused tetrahydrochromeno ,4-bhromene nucleus. Many have

insecticidal Insecticides are substances used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and by consumers. Insecticides are claimed to b ...

activity, such as the prototypical member of the family,

rotenone Rotenone is an odorless, colorless, crystalline isoflavone used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide. It occurs naturally in the seeds and stems of several plants, such as the jicama vine plant, and the roots of several member ...

. Rotenoids are related to the

isoflavone Isoflavones are substituted derivatives of isoflavone, a type of naturally occurring isoflavonoids, many of which act as phytoestrogens in mammals. Isoflavones are produced almost exclusively by the members of the bean family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae ...

Natural occurrences

Many plants in the subfamily

Faboideae The Faboideae are a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. An acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae, or Papilionaceae when this group of plants is treated as a family. This subfamily is wide ...

contain rotenoids. Rotenoids can be found in ''

Lonchocarpus ''Lonchocarpus'' is a plant genus in the legume family ( Fabaceae). The species are called lancepods due to their fruit resembling an ornate lance tip or a few beads on a string. ''Cubé'' resin is produced from the roots of '' L. urucu'' an ...

sp''.

Deguelin Deguelin is a derivative of rotenone. Both are compounds classified as rotenoids of the flavonoid family and are naturally occurring insecticides. They can be produced by extraction from several plant species belonging to three genera of the leg ...

and

tephrosin Tephrosin is rotenoid Rotenoids are naturally occurring substances containing a cis-fused tetrahydrochromeno ,4-bhromene nucleus. Many have insecticidal activity, such as the prototypical member of the family, rotenone. Rotenoids are related to ...

can be found in ''

Tephrosia vogelii ''Tephrosia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is widespread in both the Eastern and Western Hemisphere, where it is found in tropical and warm-temperate regions. The generic name is derived from the Greek word τ ...

''. 6'-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-12a-hydroxydalpanol can be found in the fruits of ''

Amorpha fruticosa ''Amorpha fruticosa'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae, known by several common names, including desert false indigo, false indigo-bush, and bastard indigobush. It is native species, native to North America. Descript ...

''. Elliptol, 12-deoxo-12alpha-methoxyelliptone, 6-methoxy-6a,12a-dehydrodeguelin, 6a,12a-dehydrodeguelin, 6-hydroxy-6a,12a-dehydrodeguelin, 6-oxo-6a,12a-dehydrodeguelin and 12a-hydroxyelliptone can be isolated from the twigs of ''

Millettia duchesnei ''Millettia duchesnei'' is a large forest liana in the genus ''Millettia''. The rotenoids elliptol, 12-deoxo-12alpha-methoxyelliptone, 6-methoxy-6a,12a-dehydrodeguelin, 6a,12a-dehydrodeguelin, 6-hydroxy-6a,12a-dehydrodeguelin, 6-oxo-6a,12a-dehyd ...

''. Deguelin, dehydrodeguelin, rotenol,

and sumatrol can be found in ''

Indigofera tinctoria ''Indigofera tinctoria'', also called true indigo, is a species of plant from the bean family that was one of the original sources of indigo dye. Description True indigo is a shrub one to two meters high. It may be an annual plant, annual, bi ...

''. 6aα,12aα-12a-hydroxyelliptone can be found in the stems of ''

Derris trifoliata ''Derris trifoliata'' is a plant species in the genus '' Derris'', Family - Leguminosae It is known as "Karanjvel" in Marathi - local language of Maharashtra, India. It is a large climber found commonly in coastal swamps of Konkan (India). It i ...

''. Amorphol, a rotenoid bioside, can be isolated from plants of the genus '' Amorpha''. Deguelin, rotenone, elliptone and α-toxicarol can be found in the seeds of ''

Lonchocarpus salvadorensis ''Lonchocarpus salvadorensis'', the Sangre de Chucho, is a plant species in the genus ''Lonchocarpus''. The rotenoids deguelin, rotenone Rotenone is an odorless, colorless, crystalline isoflavone used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscic ...

''. Clitoriacetal, stemonacetal, 6-deoxyclitoriacetal, 11-deoxyclitoriacetal, 9-demethylclitoriacetal and stemonal can be isolated from '' Clitoria fairchildiana''. Rotenoids can also be found in the plant family

Nyctaginaceae Nyctaginaceae, the four o'clock family, is a family of around 33 genera and 290 species of flowering plants, widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with a few representatives in temperate regions. The family has a unique fruit t ...

. Mirabijalone A, B, C and D, 9-O-methyl-4-hydroxyboeravinone B, boeravinone C and F, and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-methylisoquinoline-7,8-diol) can be isolated from the roots of ''

Mirabilis jalapa ''Mirabilis jalapa'', the marvel of Peru or four o'clock flower, is the most commonly grown ornamental species of ''Mirabilis'' plant, and is available in a range of colors. ''Mirabilis'' in Latin means wonderful and Jalapa (or Xalapa) is the st ...

''. Boeravinones G and H are two rotenoids isolated from ''

Boerhavia diffusa ''Boerhaavia diffusa'' is a species of flowering plant in the Nyctaginaceae, four o'clock family which is commonly known as punarnava (meaning that which rejuvenates or renews the body in Ayurveda), red spiderling, spreading hogweed, or tarvine. ...

''. Abronione and boeravinone C can be found in the desert annual '' Abronia villosa''. In 2015, a new rotenoid called crocetenone was extracted from the rhizome of ''

Iris crocea ''Iris crocea'' is a species in the genus ''Iris'', it is also in the subgenus '' Limniris'' and the series '' Spuriae''. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant, found in Kashmir. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant. It is also commonly known ...

''.

References

{{Rotenoid Phenol ethers