Polyprenylated Phloroglucinols and Xanthones

Guttiferae (Clusiaceae) is a family of plants that includes more than 37 genera and 1600 species [1]. Characteristic to this family is its large variation in plant morphology, which makes it an important group of plants for the study of floral diversification and evolutionary plasticity. Althoughmainly confined to the tropical areas, this family also includes the genus Hypericum, a plant that is found widely around the Mediterranean area. Several plants of the Guttiferae family have a rich history in ethnomedicine for their broad-spectrum antibacterial and healing properties. For instance, the antibacterial and antidepressant activities ofHypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort) have been noted in traditional European medicine. In fact,Hypericum extracts have been tested in various clinical trials and are currently used in certain countries for the treatment of depressive, anxiety, and sleep disorders [2–11]. On the other hand, members of the Garcinia genus of tropical trees have considerable value as sources of medicines, pigments, foodstuffs, and lumber [12, 13]. Chemically, the Clusiaceae family of plants constitutes a rich source of polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols and xanthones. Both chemical classes have generated substantial interest due to their fascinating chemical structures and potent bioactivities [10]. This chapter summarizes the chemical classification, biosynthesis, and synthetic approaches toward these compounds.