As well as sugars to entice pollinators, nectar contains many other chemicals including amino acids and plant secondary compounds such as phenolics, alkaloids, and glycosides. Rather than simply the byproducts of plant metabolism or contamination by compounds meant to deter herbivory, it is clear that these chemicals may have important roles in nectar. Proposed functions of non-sugar components of nectar include pollinator nutrition, reducing nectar robbing, and defense against microbes. Additionally, some of these compounds are able to interact directly with the nervous system via binding to receptor proteins found on the surface of neurons. Thus, these neuroactive components of nectar may be able to manipulate pollinator behavior. To increase our ability to analyze the many functions of nectar, it is important to understand how specific components may interact with neurons. This review examines the neurotransmitter receptors that are targets of some of the chemicals present in nectar. Although these compounds also affect the nervous systems of vertebrates, the focus of this review is on the interactions between nectar and insect pollinators.

中文翻译：

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神经活性花蜜：花蜜中与神经元相互作用的化合物

花蜜不仅可以吸引传粉媒介，还含有许多其他化学物质，包括氨基酸和植物辅助化合物，例如酚类，生物碱和糖苷。显然，这些化学物质不仅可能是植物新陈代谢的副产品，也可能是被用来阻止草食的化合物污染的副产品，但它们可能在花蜜中起重要作用。花蜜非糖成分的拟议功能包括授粉媒介营养，减少花蜜抢劫和防御微生物。另外，这些化合物中的一些能够通过与神经元表面上发现的受体蛋白结合而直接与神经系统相互作用。因此，花蜜的这些神经活性成分可能能够操纵传粉者的行为。为了增强我们分析花蜜多种功能的能力，重要的是要了解特定组件如何与神经元相互作用。这篇综述检查了神经递质受体，它们是花蜜中某些化学物质的靶标。尽管这些化合物也影响脊椎动物的神经系统，但本综述的重点是花蜜和昆虫授粉媒介之间的相互作用。