Plant-Origin Coumarin-Hemiterpene Ethers and Their Chemotaxonomic Significance

Abstract

Context: A particular class of coumarins, known as coumarin-hemiterpene ethers (CHEs), consists of a coumarin nucleus and a prenyloxy portion. No detailed report on natural coumarin-hemiterpene ethers (NCHEs) and their plant sources is available. Evidence Acquisition: Electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, were searched for isolation reports of NCHEs. All relevant papers published up to February 2025 were collected. Results: The NCHEs have been found in 15 plant families. The Rutaceae, Asteraceae, and Apiaceae families are the richest sources of NCHEs. 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin is the most common NCHE. The non-glycosylated forms are the predominant types of plant-derived CHEs. The NCHEs possess chemotaxonomic significance, as many have been identified exclusively in a single family. The highest number of exclusive NCHEs was found in the Rutaceae family, while the Asteraceae family shows the highest diversity of unique substitution patterns. Conclusions: The NCHEs are specific coumarins that exhibit considerable chemotaxonomic potential.