Genipin
Encyclopedia
Genipin is the active compound found in the gardenia
fruit extract, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine
to relieve the symptoms of type 2 diabetes
. Research conducted at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
and Harvard Medical School
indicated that the chemical is indeed effective.
Genipin is an aglycone derived from an iridoid
glycoside
called geniposide present in fruit of Gardenia jasminoides
. Genipin is an excellent natural cross-link
er for proteins, collagen, gelatin, and chitosan cross-linking. It has a low acute toxicity, with LD50 i.v. 382 mg/kg in mice, therefore, much less toxic than glutaraldehyde
and many other commonly used synthetic cross-linking regents. It is also used for pharmaceutical purposes, such as choleretic action for liver diseases control.
Furthermore, genipin can be used as a cross-linking agent for immobilized enzymes, as a regulating agent for drug delivery, as the raw material for gardenia blue pigment preparation, and as the intermediate for alkaloid
syntheses
.
Gardenia
Gardenia is a genus of 142 species of flowering plants in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and Oceania....
fruit extract, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
to relieve the symptoms of type 2 diabetes
Diabetes mellitus type 2
Diabetes mellitus type 2formerly non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetesis a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. Diabetes is often initially managed by increasing exercise and...
. Research conducted at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts is a major flagship teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. It was formed out of the 1996 merger of Beth Israel Hospital and New England Deaconess Hospital...
and Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
indicated that the chemical is indeed effective.
Genipin is an aglycone derived from an iridoid
Iridoid
Iridoids are a class of secondary metabolites found in a wide variety of plants and in some animals. They are monoterpenes biosynthesized from isoprene and they are often intermediates in the biosynthesis of alkaloids. Chemically, the iridoids usually consist of a cyclopentane ring fused to a...
glycoside
Glycoside
In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to a non-carbohydrate moiety, usually a small organic molecule. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. These can be activated by enzyme...
called geniposide present in fruit of Gardenia jasminoides
Gardenia jasminoides
Gardenia jasminoides, is a fragrant flowering evergreen tropical plant, a favorite in gardens worldwide. It originated in Asia and is most commonly found growing in Vietnam, Southern China, Taiwan, Japan and India...
. Genipin is an excellent natural cross-link
Cross-link
Cross-links are bonds that link one polymer chain to another. They can be covalent bonds or ionic bonds. "Polymer chains" can refer to synthetic polymers or natural polymers . When the term "cross-linking" is used in the synthetic polymer science field, it usually refers to the use of...
er for proteins, collagen, gelatin, and chitosan cross-linking. It has a low acute toxicity, with LD50 i.v. 382 mg/kg in mice, therefore, much less toxic than glutaraldehyde
Glutaraldehyde
Glutaraldehyde is an organic compound with the formula CH22. A pungent colorless oily liquid, glutaraldehyde is used to disinfect medical and dental equipment...
and many other commonly used synthetic cross-linking regents. It is also used for pharmaceutical purposes, such as choleretic action for liver diseases control.
Furthermore, genipin can be used as a cross-linking agent for immobilized enzymes, as a regulating agent for drug delivery, as the raw material for gardenia blue pigment preparation, and as the intermediate for alkaloid
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
syntheses
Organic synthesis
Organic synthesis is a special branch of chemical synthesis and is concerned with the construction of organic compounds via organic reactions. Organic molecules can often contain a higher level of complexity compared to purely inorganic compounds, so the synthesis of organic compounds has...
.