ABSTRACT
Glycosides are a group of compounds characterised by the fact that chemically they consist of a sugar portion attached by a special bond to one or more non-sugar portions. Classification of glycosides is based on the nature of the aglycone, which can be any of a wide range of molecular types, including phenols, quinones, terpenes and steroids. Since glycosides are so heterogenous in structure they are not easy to learn as a specific group and are described together here for convenience. Cooking may render them non-toxic. Glycosides are mostly soluble in water and organic solvents, though the aglycones tend to be somewhat insoluble in water. Cyanogenic glycosides are found in other food plants, including linseed and manioc—a traditional flour in South America, where the plant is boiled and water discarded to remove the toxin. The glycosides are characteristic of several other plant families including the Poaceae and Fabaceae.
