Title
|
|
|
|
Plant stress and human health: do human consumers benefit from UV-B acclimated crops?
|
|
Author
|
|
|
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
Plants are sessile organisms, and consequently cannot avoid exposure to stressful environmental conditions. Exposure to mild stress conditions can induce active acclimation responses, while more severe conditions cause metabolic disruptions. A common plant acclimation response to a variety of environmental stressors is the accumulation of antioxidants and secondary metabolites. For example, ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation impacts on the levels of a broad range of metabolites, including phenolic, terpenoid and alkaloid compounds. Our survey of the literature reveals that the levels of some of these metabolites increase following UV-B exposure, while those of others decrease, change transiently or are differently affected by low and high UV-doses. This includes several compounds that are pharmacologically active and/or nutritionally important. We conclude that the complex patterns of stress-induced changes in plant metabolites need to be studied in more detail to determine impacts on the nutritional and pharmacological characteristics of food products. Claims that UV-B acclimated plants have nutritional benefits are currently unproven. |
|
|
Language
|
|
|
|
English
|
|
Source (journal)
|
|
|
|
Plant science: an international journal of experimental plant biology. - Amsterdam
|
|
Publication
|
|
|
|
Amsterdam
:
2008
|
|
ISSN
|
|
|
|
0168-9452
|
|
DOI
|
|
|
|
10.1016/J.PLANTSCI.2008.04.010
|
|
Volume/pages
|
|
|
|
175
:4
(2008)
, p. 449-458
|
|
ISI
|
|
|
|
000259345300002
|
|
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
|
|
|
|
|
|