Rotenoids are naturally occurring substances containing a cis-fused tetrahydrochromeno ,4-bhromene nucleus. Many have insecticidal and piscicidal activity, such as the prototypical member of the family,

rotenone Rotenone is an odorless, colorless, crystalline isoflavone. It occurs naturally in the seeds and stems of several plants, such as the jicama vine, and in the roots of several other members of the Fabaceae. It was the first-described member of the ...

. Rotenoids are related to the

isoflavone Isoflavones are a type of naturally-occurring isoflavonoids, many of which act as phytoestrogens in mammals. Isoflavones occur in many plant species, but are especially high in soybeans. Although isoflavones and closely-related phytoestrogens ar ...

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 widely ...

contain rotenoids. Rotenoids can be found in '' Lonchocarpus sp''. Deguelin and tephrosin can be found in '' Tephrosia vogelii''. 6'-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-12a-hydroxydalpanol can be found in the fruits of '' Amorpha fruticosa''. 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''. Deguelin, dehydrodeguelin, rotenol,

, tephrosin 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 high. It may be an annual plant, annual, biennial plant, bie ...

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

References

{{Rotenoid Phenol ethers