PROPERTIES, FUNCTIONS, HYDROLYSIS, THERAPEUTIC EFFICIENCY OF GLYCOSIDES

Properties: -

Chemically glycosides are considered as sugar-ether. In pure state glycosides is mostly levo-rotatory, crystalline, colourless, bitter, soluble in alcoholic, chloroform.

Functions: -

From biological point of view glycosides play an important role in the life of plants involving its regulatory, transperatory and protective functions.

R OH + HO X Û R O X + H₂O

Sugar Aglycone Glycoside

C₆H₁₁O₅OH + HOC₆H₄CH₂OH Û C₆H₁₂O₅.O.C₆H₄ + H₂O

Hydrolysis: -

Glycosides are hydrolysed by acid or alkali and by enzymes resulting in cleavage of glycosidic linkage. However certain glycosides are broken down or modified.

For example some cardioactive steroidal glycosides which can be broken by strong alkali result in loss of pharmacological activity. The enzymes frequently occur along with glycosides in the same plant.

Therefore the compound may be hydrolysed when two come in contact during extraction and isolation procedure.

The glycosides exert their potent effect in mg. Doses in human being.

Therapeutic Efficiency: -

The therapeutic efficiency of glycosides is due to their aglycone. The sugar part of glycoside when administered orally helps to carry the aglycone to the site of particular organ or tissue when physiological or pharmacological actions are required.