Phytoecdysteroids and Related Sterols Isolated from Mexican Cacti: their Potential Use as Natural Insecticides - Natural Antioxidants and Biocides from Wild Medicinal Plants - page 175

carcinoma (PC-3), leukaemia (K-562),
colon carcinoma (HCT-15) and breast
cancer (MCF-7) human cell lines. Other
experiments showed potent anti-
inflammatory activity of peniocerol and
macdougallin in induced-inflammation
models (Salazar et al ., 2012). Taking into
account the above, investigations on the
pharmacological properties of these com-
pounds should be continued to obtain
more potent bioactive molecules from
plants.

their biological functions. For phytopha-
gous insects these substances play a key
role because they represent the only
source of obtaining hormone precursors
such as cholesterol, which is converted
into ecdysteroids. Because many plants
contain substances similar to ecdyster-
oids, the chemical relationship between
insects and plants becomes very complex.
Several phytoecdysteroids and some
related sterols isolated from plants could
have a potential use as natural insecti-
cides. We therefore need more studies in
Cactaceae, which on the one hand will
allow us to know whether other species of
this family contain ecdysteroids that can
be isolated and identified, and on the
other hand will allow us to understand
their possible uses as natural insecticides
and as pharmaceuticals.

11.5 Conclusion

Sterols are an important group in the
chemistry of most organisms. Plants syn-
thesize different types of sterols, and only
now do we begin to understand many of

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