Casuarinin is an
ellagitannin. It is found in the pericarp of
pomegranates (''Punica granatum''). It is also found in ''
Casuarina
''Casuarina'' is a genus of 17 tree species in the family Casuarinaceae, native to Australia, the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, islands of the western Pacific Ocean, and eastern Africa. It was once treated as the sole genus in th ...
'' and ''
Stachyurus'' species and in ''
Alnus sieboldiana''.
It is an isomer of
casuarictin. It is a highly active
carbonic anhydrase inhibitor.
Biosynthesis
In some plants including oak and chestnut, the ellagitannins are formed from
1,2,3,4,6-pentagalloyl-glucose
1,2,3,4,6-Pentagalloylglucose is the pentagallic acid ester of glucose. It is a gallotannin and the precursor of ellagitannins.
Pentagalloyl glucose can precipitate proteins, including human salivary α-amylase.
Natural occurrence
1,2,3,4,6-Pe ...
and further elaborated via oxidative dehydrogenation (
tellimagrandin II and
casuarictin formations). After conversion of
casuarictin to
pedunculagin, the pyranose ring of the
glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar with the molecular formula . Glucose is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. Glucose is mainly made by plants and most algae during photosynthesis from water and carbon dioxide, u ...
opens and the family of compounds including
casuariin, casuarinin,
castalagin, and
castlin, vescalagin and
vescalin forms.
Tannins chemistry by Hagerman A. E.
References
{{Ellagitannin
Ellagitannins
Pomegranate ellagitannins
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors