Polygodial

Polygodial is an active constituent of Dorrigo Pepper, Mountain Pepper, Horopito, Canelo, Paracress and Water-pepper. Furthermore, Polygodial is synthetized by Dendrodoris limbata.

Chemically it is a drimane-type sesquiterpene dialdehyde of formula C₁₅H₂₂O₂.

It elicits a warm and pungent flavour.

The biological activity of polygodial has been reported in the scientific literature to include antifungal and antimicrobial activities, antihyperalgesia, potent attachment-inhibitory activity, insect antifeedant activity, antinociception vasorelaxation action in vessels of rabbit and guinea pig, anti-inflammatory and antiallergic activities

Polygodial’s primary antifungal action is as a nonionic surfactant, disrupting the lipid-protein interface of integral proteins nonspecifically, denaturing their functional conformation. It is also likely that polygodial permeates by passive diffusion across the plasma membrane, and once inside the cells may react with a variety of intracellular compounds.

It is also used as an insecticide for its antifeedant property, which causes insects to starve.