芬多精

ranchgirl

芬多精（英語：Phytoncide）是植物所釋放抗菌挥发性有機化合物之統稱，種類約為5,000種，主要功能為抵禦細菌、真菌及昆蟲。芬多精在植物体内是液态精油，可由根、莖、叶、花、果揮發至空气中。

芬多精一詞最早由俄羅斯國立列寧格勒大學生化學教授Boris P. Tokin博士於1930年提出，他發現有些植物會釋放高活性物質，避免植物本身腐爛，或被昆蟲、動物所食。

大多數植物都具有芬多精，而針葉樹林的揮發量又多於闊葉樹林。以柳杉為主的針葉林芬多精主要以檸檬烯為主，樟樹為主的闊葉林則以芳樟醇居多。其他較知名的芬多精種類包括：橡樹含有 greenery alcohol，蒜含有大蒜素及二烯丙基二硫，苦参含有槐黄烷酮G，松屬植物會釋放alpha-蒎烯、3-蒈烯、香叶烯及其他萜烯。

芬多精在俄羅斯、烏克蘭、中國及日本廣為應用於醫學，如替代医学、芳香療法及兽医学等。

ranchgirl

Phytoncides have antibacterial and antifungal qualities which help plants fight disease. When people breathe in these chemicals, our bodies respond by increasing the number and activity of a type of white blood cell called natural killer cells or NK. These cells kill tumor- and virus-infected cells in our bodies.

ranchgirl

Phytoncides are antimicrobial allelochemic[dubious – discuss] volatile organic compounds derived from plants. The word, which means "exterminated by the plant", was coined in 1928 by Dr. Boris P. Tokin, a Russian biochemist from Leningrad University. He found that some plants give off very active substances that help to prevent them from rotting or being eaten by some insects and animals.

Occurrence and function
Cedar, garlic, locust, oak, onion, pine, tea tree, many spices, and many other plants give off phytoncides. Garlic contains allicin and diallyl disulfide. Pine contains alpha-pinene, carene, myrcene, and other terpenes. Sophora flavescens contains sophoraflavanone G.

More than 5,000 volatile substances defend plants that protect them from bacteria, fungi, and insects. Phytoncides work by inhibiting or preventing the growth of the attacking organism.

Use
They are widely used in Russian, Ukrainian, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese medicine, as well as in alternative medicine, aromatherapy, and veterinary medicine.