ABSTRACT
Diterpenes-C20 terpenes-are a big group of compounds that consist of 4 ve-carbon (C5) units called active isoprene. These compounds play an important role in the physiology of a plant and are also known for their pharmacological and toxicological activities. The group of diterpenes contains about 800 different substances with a known structure, occurring mainly in higher plants (sometimes in oleoresins and latices), microorganisms, and marine products. In phytochemistry, diterpenes are known as bitter substances, toxic diterpene alkaloids, plant growth hormones (gibberellins), other secondary metabolites, and, for instance, vitamin A (retinol), which shares the characteristics of the diterpene structure and occurs in human and animal organisms. Moreover, it has been discovered that pro-vitamin A-the group of tetraterpenoid compounds (carotenoids)—is present in plants. Diterpene compounds can reveal linear or mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, and polycyclic (macrocyclic) and miscellaneous structures. From a chemotaxonomical point of view, some groups of diterpenes are common in the plant kingdom, while others are specic for small systematic groups such as families or genera.
