Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. These can be activated by enzyme hydrolysis, [1] which causes the sugar part to be broken off, making the chemical available for use. Many such plant glycosides are used as medications.

（1） 环烯醚萜 甙类（Iridoid g1ycosides）和裂环烯醚萜甙类（Secoiridoid glycosides）是由环烯醚单萜（Iridoids）衍生物与糖所成的甙类。 广泛分布于植物界，尤以 茜草 科、玄参科、龙胆科、鹿蹄草科等为多，如地黄、 栀子 、玄参、龙胆、鹿蹄草等。

糖苷的基本結構，這裡用D-葡萄糖作為糖的部分。熊果素（Arbutin），一種簡單的糖苷。 苦杏仁苷（Amygdalin）。 甘草苷化學式. 糖 苷 （ gān ） [註 1] （英語： glycoside ）简称苷，旧称甙，是单糖或寡糖分子通过糖苷键与另一个非糖化合物或官能团 缩合而成的含糖衍生物，即由糖与非糖物质结合而成的 ...

Many glycosides occur in plants, often as flower and fruit pigments; for example, anthocyanins. Various medicines, condiments, and dyes from plants occur as glycosides; of great value are the heart-stimulating glycosides of Digitalis and Strophanthus, members of a group known as cardiac glycosides .

Glycosides are compounds in which a sugar molecule (glycone) is attached, through a glycosidic linkage, to the anomeric carbon of a non-sugar moiety (aglycone). Glycosides can be of several classes such as iridoid, alcoholic, anthraquinone, flavonoid, coumarin, chromone, cardiac, steviol, cyanogenic, phenolic, saponins, iridoid, thio, among others.