Bioactive Compounds of medicinal and toxicological

significance 
Bioactive compounds, also referred as plant secondary metabolites, are derived from the
products of plant primary metabolites I. E. carbohydrates,  amino acids and simple lipids.

Bioactive compunds are generally not involved in growth and metabolism of plants, but they
play critical roles in the survival of plants by their functions defense of the plant against
pathogenic organisms and predatory herbivores ( Bernhoft, 2010; Ingebrigtsen, 2010).
Additionally, bioactive principles may serve as vehicle for the elimination of nitrogenous
waste products and sustenance of plants in situation of drought ( Enneking and Wink,
2000; Thipyapong et al., 2004; Tadele, 2015; Belonwu et al., 2014).

Also, plant secondary metabolites are referred to as the active compounds of plants
because they exhibit diverse range of pharmacological effects in mammalian systems.

An overview of plant metabolic pathways showed that bioactive compounds are

synthesized by two major pathways: the shikimic acid or aromatic  amino acid and mevalonic
acid pathways (Ramawat et al., 2009).
The methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP)

doxorubicin (DOX) 
The shikimic acid pathway provides an alternative route to aromatic compounds, particularly
the aromatic amino acids. Various metabolites, including alkaloids, phenolics and
mycotoxins, are derived from aromatic acids.
The shikimate pathway consists of seven steps
1. the condensation of phosphoenolpyruvate and erythrose-4-
phosphate
2. Their condensation and cyclization lead to the formation of
shikimic acid and end with the synthesis of chorismic acid
3. Active forms of these with coenzyme A (CoA) can access the
main classes of phenolic compounds, quoting some
transformations to acids of the benzoic acid series (gallic,
protocatechuic, etc.) by β-oxidation.
4. Gallic acid itself, in combination with simple sugars, leads to the
hydrolyzable tannins (gallic and ellagic tannins), or,
5. Addition a molecule of phosphoenolpyruvate and additional
series of intermediate stages,
6. followed by amination, gives rise to aromatic amino acids
tyrosine (21)
7. and phenylalanine (27),
Phenylalanine is starting point of the phenylpropanoid
pathway [24,40].
Mevalonate Pathway
Mevalonate pathway is an important metabolic pathway which plays a key role
in multiple cellular processes by synthesizing sterol isoprenoids, such as
cholesterol, and non-sterol isoprenoids, such as dolichol, heme-A, isopentenyl
tRNA and ubiquinone. 
The mevalonate pathway, also known as the isoprenoid pathway is an
essential metabolic pathway present in eukaryotes, archaea, and some bacteria.
The pathway produces two five-carbon building blocks called isopentenyl
pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate(DMAPP), which are used
to make isoprenoids (Carotene, retinol, tocopherol) a diverse class of over
30,000 biomolecules such as cholesterol, heme, vitamin K, coenzyme Q10, and
all steroid hormones.
Alternative pathway (MEP Pathway)
Plants, most bacteria, and some protozoa such as malaria parasites have the
ability to produce isoprenoids using an alternative pathway called
the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) or non-mevalonate pathway. The output of
both the mevalonate pathway and the MEP pathway are the same, IPP and
DMAPP, however the enzymatic reactions to convert acetyl-CoA into IPP are
entirely different. In higher plants, the MEP pathway operates in plastids while
the mevalonate pathway operates in the cytosol. Examples of bacteria that
contain the MEP pathway include Escherichia coli and pathogens such
as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The terpenoids  sometimes called isoprenoids, are a large and diverse class of
naturally occurring organic chemicals derived from terpenes. Most are
multicyclic structures with oxygen-containing functional groups. About 60% of
known natural products are terpenoids. Although sometimes used
interchangeably with "terpenes", terpenoids contain additional functional groups,
usually O-containing. Terpenes are hydrocarbons.
Plant terpenoids are used for their aromatic qualities and play a role in traditional
herbal remedies. Terpenoids contribute to the scent of eucalyptus, the flavors
of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, the yellow color in sunflowers, and the red
color in tomatoes. Well-known terpenoids
include citral, menthol, camphor, salvinorin A in the plant Salvia divinorum,
the cannabinoids found in cannabis, ginkgolide and bilobalide found in Ginkgo
biloba, and the curcuminoids found in turmericand mustard seed.
The steroids and sterols in animals are biologically produced from terpenoid
precursors. Sometimes terpenoids are added to proteins, e.g., to enhance their
attachment to the cell membrane; this is known as isoprenylation.

Malonic Acid Pathway

Malonic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in some fruits. In citrus,
fruits produced in organic farming contain higher levels of malonic acid than
fruits produced in conventional agriculture.
Malonic acid is a precursor to a group of polyketides. Polyketides are a class
of secondary metabolites produced by certain living organisms in order to impart
to them some survival advantage. Many antibiotics and mycotoxins are
produced by fungi are polyketides.

 
Pikromycin, the first isolated macrolide (1951[4])
 The antibiotics erythromycin A, clarithromycin, and azithromycin
 The antihelminthics avermectin and ivermectin
 The insecticide spinosad (spinosyn)
 Ansamycins
 The antitumor agents geldanamycin and macbecin,
 The antibiotic rifamycin
 Polyenes
 The antifungals amphotericin, nystatin and pimaricin
 Polyethers
 The antibiotic monensin
 Tetracyclines
 The antibiotic agent doxycycline
 Acetogenins
 bullatacin
 squamocin
 molvizarin
 uvaricin
 annonacin
 Others
 The immunosuppressants tacrolimus (FK506) (a calcineurin inhibitor)
and sirolimus (rapamycin) (a mTOR inhibitor)
 Radicicol and the pochonin family (HSP90 inhibitors)
 The cholesterol lowering agent lovastatin
 Discodermolide
 Aflatoxin
 Usnic acid
 Anthracimycin
 Anthramycin