Glycosidically bound volatiles—a review 1986–1991

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Abstract
Five years ago, in 1986, only a limited number of glycosidically bound volatiles were known and little could be reported on the distribution of those compounds in the plant kingdom. Since then an explosion of research activities in this field has led to the publication of many interesting results concerning structurally diverse terpenoid and non‐terpenoid glycosides, their occurrence, and their role in different plant species. Up to now, about 200 different aglycone structures have been found in about 150 species belonging to 35 different families including ferns, gymnosperms, dicotyledons, and monocotyledons.All the diverse results concerning the role of these compounds in the plants should not lead us into ascribing to them an exclusive role, such as being involved in essential oil metabolism, as early workers have postulated. Although considering new electron microscopical observations of a transformation of carbohydrate‐rich substances into lipophilic droplets at the tonoplast of Mentha × piperita secretory cells, the range of possible roles should not be underestimated. New experimental work should not only provide new analytical data but should also attempt to throw more light on the role of the glycosides.