ABSTRACT
Phytochemistry, or the chemistry of plants, one of the early subdivisions of organic chemistry, has been of great importance in the identication of plant substances. In a strict sense, phytochemistry is the study of phytochemicals, which are chemicals derived from plants. In a narrower sense, the term is often used to describe the large number of primary and secondary metabolic compounds found in plants. Many of these are synthesized in plant tissues to provide protection against insect attacks, plant diseases, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, environmental contaminants, and so on. Plant metabolites also exhibit a number of protective functions for human consumers. With the development of new phytochemical methods, additional information has become available for use in conjunction with such research disciplines as plant physiology, plant biochemistry, plant taxonomy, plant biotechnology, and pharmacognosy.
