ferruginol

Ferruginol is a natural phenol with a terpenoid substructure. Specifically, it is a diterpene of the abietane chemical class, meaning it is characterized by three fused six-membered rings and alkyl functional groups. Ferruginol was first identified in 1939 by Brandt and Neubauer as the main component in the resin of the miro tree (Podocarpus ferrugneus) and has since been isolated from other conifer species in the families Cupressaceae and Podocarpaceae. As a biomarker, the presence of ferruginol in fossils, mainly resin, is used to describe the density of these conifers in that particular biosphere throughout time.

== Background == Ferruginol is a phenolic abietene, a type of tricyclic diterpenoid derived from terrestrial plants. It has a molecular composition of C20H30O with a molecular weight of 286 g/mole. Along with its presence in the Verbenaceae family, it has been found in a variety of conifer families including Podocarpaceae, the ancient Araucariaceae, and the extinct Cheirolepidiaceae. It is particularly useful as a biomarker because of its concentration in the Cupressaceae family. In these conifers, it acts as a plant metabolite, along with some protective and antibacterial roles.