triterpene
Quick Summary
Triterpenes are a class of chemical compounds built from six isoprene units, resulting in a molecule with 30 carbon atoms and 48 hydrogen atoms (C30H48). They are widely found in nature, occurring in plants, animals, and fungi.12
A notable example is squalene, an acyclic triterpene found in shark liver oil and other natural sources. Squalene is a crucial metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of cholesterol, highlighting the biochemical link between triterpenes and steroids. Many abundant triterpenes in nature are pentacyclic, meaning they contain five carbon rings. These can be found freely or as glycosides, such as saponins, in various plant parts.2
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