Scopoletin is a coumarin

Coumarin

Coumarin is a fragrant chemical compound in the benzopyrone chemical class, found in many plants, notably in high concentration in the tonka bean , vanilla grass , sweet woodruff , mullein , sweet grass , cassia cinnamon and sweet clover...

 found in the root of plants in the genus Scopolia

Scopolia

Scopolia is a genus of five species of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae, native to Europe and Asia. The genus is named after Giovanni Scopoli , a Tyrolian naturalist....

like Scopolia carniolica

Scopolia carniolica

Scopolia carniolica , the henbane bell, is a poisonous plant from the family Solanaceae with dark violet flowers on long hanging stems. It grows to 60 cm in height. It is poisonous as it contains abundant quantities of tropane alkaloids, particularly atropine...

or Scopolia japonica

Scopolia japonica

Scopolia japonica, the Japanese belladonna, is a flowering plant species in the genus Scopolia.The coumarins umbelliferone and scopoletin have been isolated from the roots of Scopolia japonica. The hairy roots technique has also been used to produce tha alcaloids scopolamine and hyoscyamine....

, in chicory

Chicory

Common chicory, Cichorium intybus, is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Various varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons , or for roots , which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive. It is also...

, in Artemisia scoparia

Artemisia scoparia

Artemisia scoparia is a species in the genus Artemisia, in the family Asteraceae. Its common name is Redstem Wormwood. It is an allergen.- Chemical constituents :# Capillarisin # Chlorogenic acid butyl ester# 6,7-Dimethylesculetin...

, in the passion flower

Passion flower

Passiflora, known also as the passion flowers or passion vines, is a genus of about 500 species of flowering plants, the namesakes of the family Passifloraceae. They are mostly vines, with some being shrubs, and a few species being herbaceous. For information about the fruit of the passiflora...

, in Brunfelsia

Brunfelsia

Brunfelsia is a genus of about 40 species of neotropical shrubs and small trees.The leaves are alternate and simple, with shapes generally elliptic to ovate. The flowers are large and tubular, with five broad petals. Typical habitat is light woodland and thickets. Species in cultivation include...

, in Viburnum prunifolium

Viburnum prunifolium

Viburnum prunifolium , is a species of Viburnum native to southeastern North America, from Connecticut west to eastern Kansas, and south to Alabama and Texas.-Growth:It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 2–9 m tall with a short crooked trunk and stout...

or Kleinhovia hospita

Kleinhovia hospita

Kleinhovia hospita is an evergreen, tropical tree native to Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of tropical Asia. It is monotypic, being the only species in its genus.- Description :...

. It can also be found in some whiskies

Whisky

Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...

 or in dandelion coffee

Dandelion coffee

Dandelion coffee is an infusion or herbal tea, and coffee substitute, made from the root of the dandelion plant. The roasted dandelion root pieces and the beverage have some resemblance to coffee in appearance and taste.-History:...

.

Glycosides

Scopolin is a glucoside

Glucoside

A glucoside is a glycoside that is derived from glucose. Glucosides are common in plants, but rare in animals. Glucose is produced when a glucoside is hydrolysed by purely chemical means, or decomposed by fermentation or enzymes....

 of scopoletin

Scopoletin

Scopoletin is a coumarin found in the root of plants in the genus Scopolia like Scopolia carniolica or Scopolia japonica, in chicory, in Artemisia scoparia, in the passion flower, in Brunfelsia, in Viburnum prunifolium or Kleinhovia hospita...

 formed by the action of the enzyme

Enzyme

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...

, scopoletin glucosyltransferase

Scopoletin glucosyltransferase

In enzymology, a scopoletin glucosyltransferase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reactionThus, the two substrates of this enzyme are UDP-glucose and scopoletin, whereas its two products are UDP and scopolin....

.

Blood Pressure

Scopoletin seems to regulate the blood pressure. When the blood pressure

Blood pressure

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...

 is high, scopoletin helps to lower it, and when it is too low it, can help raise it.

Bacteriostasis

Scopoletin has bacteriostatic activity against various species of bacteria, including Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...

, Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive coccal bacterium. It is frequently found as part of the normal skin flora on the skin and nasal passages. It is estimated that 20% of the human population are long-term carriers of S. aureus. S. aureus is the most common species of...

, Streptococcus

Streptococcus

Streptococcus is a genus of spherical Gram-positive bacteria belonging to the phylum Firmicutes and the lactic acid bacteria group. Cellular division occurs along a single axis in these bacteria, and thus they grow in chains or pairs, hence the name — from Greek στρεπτος streptos, meaning...

 sp., Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative, non-motile, encapsulated, lactose fermenting, facultative anaerobic, rod shaped bacterium found in the normal flora of the mouth, skin, and intestines....

 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common bacterium that can cause disease in animals, including humans. It is found in soil, water, skin flora, and most man-made environments throughout the world. It thrives not only in normal atmospheres, but also in hypoxic atmospheres, and has, thus, colonized many...

.

Anti-Inflamitation

Scopoletin has anti-inflammatory

Anti-inflammatory

Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs make up about half of analgesics, remedying pain by reducing inflammation as opposed to opioids, which affect the central nervous system....

 activity and can be used to treat bronchial illnesses and asthma

Asthma

Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...

.

Mood Disorders

Scopoletin regulates the hormone

Hormone

A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...

 serotonin

Serotonin

Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Biochemically derived from tryptophan, serotonin is primarily found in the gastrointestinal tract, platelets, and in the central nervous system of animals including humans...

, which helps to reduce anxiety

Anxiety

Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...

 and depression

Depression

Depression or depress may refer to:-Medicine:* Depression , a state of low mood and aversion to activity** Mood disorder, a class of mental illnesses featuring depressed mood...

.