Jia-Yi Shi, Ke-Han Gu, Sheng-Mei Yang, Wan-Hong Wei, Xin Dai
{"title":"Effects of 6-methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) on animals: state of knowledge and open questions","authors":"Jia-Yi Shi, Ke-Han Gu, Sheng-Mei Yang, Wan-Hong Wei, Xin Dai","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01930-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>6-methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) is a secondary plant metabolite predominantly found in monocotyledonous plants, especially Gramineae. In damaged tissue, 2-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-4-hydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA-Glc) is hydrolyzed to DIMBOA, which spontaneously decomposes into 6-MBOA. It is commonly detected in plants consumed by voles and livestock and can also be present in cereal-based products. Discovered in 1955, this compound is renowned for its ability to trigger animal reproduction. However, there is a lack of research on its functional and mechanistic properties, leaving much of their potential unexplored. This review aimed to comprehensively summarize the effects of 6-MBOA on animal reproduction and human health, as well as its defensive role against herbivores. Studies have shown that 6-MBOA effectively inhibits the digestion, development, growth, and reproduction of insects. 6-MBOA may act as a partial agonist of melatonin and exert a regulatory role in mammalian reproduction, resulting in either promoting or inhibiting effects. 6-MBOA has been theorized to possess anti-tumor, anti-AIDS, anti-anxiety, and weight-loss effects in humans. However, insufficient attention has been paid to its defense properties against mammalian herbivores, and the mechanisms underlying its effects on mammalian reproduction remain unclear. In addition, research on its impact on human health is still in its preliminary stages. The review emphasizes the need for further systematic and comprehensive research on 6-MBOA to fully understand its diverse functions. Elucidating the effects of 6-MBOA on animal reproduction, adaptation, and human health would advance our understanding of plant–herbivore coevolution and the influence of environmental factors on animal population dynamics. Furthermore, this knowledge could potentially promote its application in human health and animal husbandry.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"The Science of Nature","FirstCategoryId":"6","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00114-024-01930-8","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
6-methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) is a secondary plant metabolite predominantly found in monocotyledonous plants, especially Gramineae. In damaged tissue, 2-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-4-hydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA-Glc) is hydrolyzed to DIMBOA, which spontaneously decomposes into 6-MBOA. It is commonly detected in plants consumed by voles and livestock and can also be present in cereal-based products. Discovered in 1955, this compound is renowned for its ability to trigger animal reproduction. However, there is a lack of research on its functional and mechanistic properties, leaving much of their potential unexplored. This review aimed to comprehensively summarize the effects of 6-MBOA on animal reproduction and human health, as well as its defensive role against herbivores. Studies have shown that 6-MBOA effectively inhibits the digestion, development, growth, and reproduction of insects. 6-MBOA may act as a partial agonist of melatonin and exert a regulatory role in mammalian reproduction, resulting in either promoting or inhibiting effects. 6-MBOA has been theorized to possess anti-tumor, anti-AIDS, anti-anxiety, and weight-loss effects in humans. However, insufficient attention has been paid to its defense properties against mammalian herbivores, and the mechanisms underlying its effects on mammalian reproduction remain unclear. In addition, research on its impact on human health is still in its preliminary stages. The review emphasizes the need for further systematic and comprehensive research on 6-MBOA to fully understand its diverse functions. Elucidating the effects of 6-MBOA on animal reproduction, adaptation, and human health would advance our understanding of plant–herbivore coevolution and the influence of environmental factors on animal population dynamics. Furthermore, this knowledge could potentially promote its application in human health and animal husbandry.
期刊介绍:
The Science of Nature - Naturwissenschaften - is Springer''s flagship multidisciplinary science journal. The journal is dedicated to the fast publication and global dissemination of high-quality research and invites papers, which are of interest to the broader community in the biological sciences. Contributions from the chemical, geological, and physical sciences are welcome if contributing to questions of general biological significance. Particularly welcomed are contributions that bridge between traditionally isolated areas and attempt to increase the conceptual understanding of systems and processes that demand an interdisciplinary approach.