Terpenoids & their biosynthesis

Plants can manufacture many different types of secondary metabolites.
Over 50,000 secondary metabolites have been discovered in the plant kingdom.
There are three broad categories of plant secondary metabolites as natural products:
terpenes and terpenoids, also referred to as isoprenoids (~25,000 types),
alkaloids(~12,000 types) and
phenolic compounds (~8,000 types).
Terpenoids have been reported to be the major component of essential oils for ages.
Essential oils are volatile and concentrated liquids extracted from different parts of plants.
Terpenoids are derivatives of terpenes, which contain oxygen molecules.
All terpenes have fundamental repeating five-carbon isoprene units.
Terpenes are simple hydrocarbons structures while terpenoids are oxygen-containing hydrocarbons and are defined as modified class of terpenes with different functional groups and oxidized methyl groups moved or removed at various positions.
Terpenes or terpenoids are classified as
Hemiterpenes (C5): Hemiterpenes are terpenes made from a single isoprene unit and have five carbon atoms. 
Monoterpenes (C10): Monoterpenes consist of 10 carbon atoms with two isoprene units and molecular formula C10H16. 
Sesquiterpenes (C15): Sesquiterpenes are the class of secondary metabolites consisting of three isoprene units (C15H24) and found in linear, cyclic, bicyclic, and tricyclic forms.
Diterpenes (C20): Diterpenoids belong to a versatile class of chemical constituents found in different natural sources having C20H32 molecular formula and four isoprene units 
Sesterpenes (C25): Sesterpenes consist of 25 carbon atoms with 5 isoprene units and molecular formula C25H40.
Triterpenes (C30): Triterpenes consist of 30 carbon atoms with 6 isoprene units and molecular formula C30H48.
Tetraterpenes/carotenoids (C40): Tetraterpenes consist of 40 carbon atoms with 8 isoprene units and molecular formula C40H64.
Terpenoid Biosynthesis...
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