
Acetogenins are a class of polyketide natural products found in plants of the family Annonaceae. They are characterized by linear 32- or 34-carbon chains containing oxygenated functional groups including hydroxyls, ketones, epoxides, tetrahydrofurans and tetrahydropyrans. They are often terminated with a lactone or butenolide. Over 400 members of this family of compounds have been isolated from 51 different species of plants. Many acetogenins are characterized by neurotoxicity.

Adenosine diphosphate ribose (ADPR) is an ester molecule formed into chains by the enzyme poly ADP ribose polymerase. ADPR is created from cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) by the CD38 enzyme using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a cofactor.

Annonacin is a chemical compound with toxic effects, especially in the nervous system, found in some fruits such as the paw paw, custard apples, soursop, and others from the family Annonaceae. It is a member of the class of compounds known as acetogenins. Annonacin-containing fruit products are regularly consumed throughout the West Indies for their traditional medicine uses.

Bullatacin is a bis(tetrahydrofuranoid) fatty acid lactone found in some fruits from Annonaceae family. It is a member of the class of compounds known as acetogenins.

Piericidin A is an antibiotic agent. It was discovered from Streptomyces mobaraensis. Being an inhibitor of NADH dehydrogenase, it inhibits electron transfer; its structure resembles that of the ubiquinone, therefore it competes with QB for binding sites in NADH dehydrogenase as well as Photosystem II.

Polyketides are a large group of secondary metabolites which either contain alternating carbonyl groups and methylene groups (-CO-CH2-), or are derived from precursors which contain such alternating groups. Many polyketides are medicinal or exhibit acute toxicity.

Rotenone is an odorless, colorless, crystalline isoflavone used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide. It occurs naturally in the seeds and stems of several plants, such as the jicama vine plant, and the roots of several members of Fabaceae. It was the first described member of the family of chemical compounds known as rotenoids. Evidence has come to suggest that rotenone may cause Parkinson's disease to develop from both acute and prolonged exposure.