July Phytochemicals - Happy Birthday Harry Potter!

Happy #PhytochemicalFriday! Today: abietic acid - the primary component of pines' resin acid. This diterpene is a major part of rosin - a solid used to increase friction in many applications: from violinists' bows to flamenco dancers' shoe heels to drag racing starting lines.

Englerin A, a terpenoid from the bark of the (sub)tropical plant Phyllanthus engleri. This compound causes kidney cancer cells, but not healthy cells, to flood with calcium and die. Its total synthesis begins with nepetalactone, catnip's active ingredient! #PhytochemicalFriday

Happy #PhytochemicalFriday and #HappyBirthdayHarryPotter! Today: the monoterpenoids carvacrol, cymene, and thymol. These are major aroma compounds in Cretan dittany (Origanum dictamnus), the plant used to prepare Essence of Dittany, a healing potion in the Harry Potter series.