Phytochemistry and ethnobotanical discovery of endemic American medicinal plants

美洲特有药用植物的植物化学和民族植物学发现

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-06507
• 负责人: Arnason, John
• 金额: $ 3.57万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=614188
• 关键词: Phytochemistry; ethnobotanical; discovery; endemic; American

Our research program seeks to find useful but poorly studied plants from the Americas and examine them to learn more about their biologically activity,  substances and potential applications. Plants of special significance from diverse but highly threatened tropical forests have been selected by collaborating botanists in Costa Rica and Maya traditional healers in Belize. In work going back 15 -20 years we have already identified together plant biochemicals, known as “phytochemicals” which are insecticides, antimalarials, antimicrobials, antiiflammatories and antioxidants, anxiolytics, antiepilpetics. We have developed commercially, one anxiety and stress reducing plant product for the companion animal market, with a Canadian company which has also benefited campesino farmers in Central America. In the current research we are identifying substances in antimicrobial plants with potential to inhibit difficult to deal with bacterial slime (biofilms) and plants that the Maya have identified as highly effective in early stages of confusion and memory loss of aging. In addition we will fully study the diversity of substances in these plants for the first time using an emerging technology call “metabolomics”. Substances in close plant relatives will be studied to ensure that botanical confusion does not occur and to assist future scientists working with these. As there is a distinct dry season in these forests that greatly influences these active compounds, we will study seasonal change in a local garden maintained by the healers. Our program is fundamental science designed to appreciate and understand tropical forest phytochemistry and the ancient traditional knowledge of Maya healers. As application, new products can be brought forward through our established collaborations with pesticide and animal health companies in Canada or eventually be used by other scientists.

我们的研究项目旨在从美洲寻找有用但研究较少的植物，并对它们进行研究，以了解更多关于它们的生物活性、物质和潜在应用的信息。哥斯达黎加的植物学家和伯利兹的玛雅传统治疗师合作，从多种多样但受到高度威胁的热带森林中选择了具有特殊意义的植物。在过去15至20年的工作中，我们已经共同确定了植物生物化学物质，即“植物化学物质”，它们是杀虫剂、抗疟药、抗菌剂、抗炎药和抗氧化剂、抗焦虑药、抗癫痫药。我们与一家加拿大公司合作，为伴侣动物市场开发了一种减少焦虑和压力的植物产品，这也使中美洲的农民受益。在目前的研究中，我们正在确定抗菌植物中有可能抑制难以处理的细菌粘液（生物膜）的物质，以及玛雅人已经确定的在早期混乱和衰老记忆丧失阶段非常有效的植物。此外，我们将首次利用一种名为“代谢组学”的新兴技术，全面研究这些植物中物质的多样性。将研究近亲植物中的物质，以确保不会发生植物混淆，并帮助未来的科学家研究这些物质。由于这些森林有一个明显的旱季，这极大地影响了这些活性化合物，我们将在一个由治疗师维护的当地花园中研究季节变化。我们的课程是基础科学，旨在欣赏和理解热带森林植物化学和玛雅治疗师的古老传统知识。作为应用，新产品可以通过我们与加拿大的农药和动物保健公司建立的合作提出，或最终由其他科学家使用。