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| Names | |
|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name 1,3,4,6,8,13-Hexahydroxy-10,11-dimethylphenanthro[1,10,9,8-opqra]perylene-7,14-dione | |
| Other names 4,5,7,4',5',7'-Hexahydroxy-2,2'-dimethylnaphthodianthrone | |
| Identifiers | |
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3D model (JSmol) | |
| ChEBI | |
| ChEMBL | |
| ChemSpider |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.008.129 |
| KEGG | |
| UNII | |
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| Properties | |
| C30H16O8 | |
| Molar mass | 504.450 g·mol−1 |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in theirstandard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). | |
Hypericin is a carbopolycyclic compound derived from bisanthene withantidepressant properties, found in variousHypericum species, and is being studied for treatingcutaneousT-cell lymphoma.[2]
Opinions differ on the extent to which hypericin exhibits antidepressant effects. According to some scholars, hypericin, along with other active compounds inHypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort), contributes to the antidepressant effects of the total plantextract.[3] According to others, hypericin does not significantlyinhibit monoamine oxidase and thus is unlikely to account for the antidepressant effects ofHypericum extract.[4] While another hypericin shows affinity mainly forNMDA receptors, suggesting that other plant constituents likely play a more significant role in its antidepressant effects.[5]
Hypericin is a structurally complex phenanthroperylenequinone with potentialmedical and photoreceptive applications.[6] It is red-colored, photosensitive compound whosebiosynthesis is catalyzed by the gene Hyp-1, a Bet v 1-classallergen identified through red-color-based colony screening and shown to convertemodin to hypericin with high efficiency.[7] It is thought to be synthesized by the PR-10 protein Hyp-1 through emodindimerization, but despite confirming Hyp-1’s structure and ligand-binding capability, itscatalytic role in hypericin biosynthesis remains unproven.[8]
Biotechnological research is exploringin vitro culture methods to enhance and stabilize the production of hypericin.[9]
