Advances in the Synthesis of Calystegines and Related Products and their Biochemical Properties

The revision of the structures and properties of Calystegines shows that they can be regarded as carbohydrate mimics, with related biological activities and peculiar characteristics. Not only they can be isolated from food plants, but they can be obtained from a variety of monosaccharide derivatives and of non-carbohydrate products. Although several synthetic calystegine analogs have been reported as glycosidase inhibitors, new, more potent and effective inhibitors are required.