Tapping the biological and chemical diversity of North America`s native medicinal and food plants

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Plant metabolites are vital to global ecosystems and economies, sustaining food chains and shaping co-evolutionary relationships while serving diverse human industrial and cultural purposes. In Canada, despite our unique biodiversity and rich Indigenous knowledge, our native plants remain surprisingly under-explored and -developed for societal benefit. At the same time, Canadians consume a myriad of plant-based foods and natural health products (NHP), for which their chemistry, pharmacology, and potential risks/benefits are poorly studied. To address these gaps, my program studies the diversity and functional properties of plant chemicals, focusing on potential impacts on humans and plant health. With a unifying scientific focus linking plant chemistry to bioactivity (therapeutic and toxic effects), we integrate methods in ethnobotany, analytical chemistry and pharmacology to learn how chemical complexity/variability relates to bioactivity, human applications, and ecological interactions. We collaborate with inter-sectoral stakeholders to help guide and translate our research into sound products, interventions, policies and regulations to benefit Canadians and our environment. Ethnopharmacology of Cultural Keystone Species (CKS) The CKS concept recognizes species that contribute to culture as foods, materials, and medicines, and in language, ceremonies and teachings. In the Americas, few plant CKS have been identified and fewer have been studied scientifically. We will study the chemistry and bioactivity of 2 of North America's most culturally significant medicinal plant groups, Achillea (yarrow) and Artemisia (sagebrush). Phytocannabinoids in cannabis and other plants Until recently, THC from cannabis was the only natural product known to interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Building on evidence that phytochemicals in cannabis and other plants activate the ECS, we study the pharmacology of pure phytocannabinoids compared to chemically diverse/complex plant products (i.e. what people consumer). We also study where and why plants produce phytocannabinoids, and how these compounds contribute to plant ecophysiology. Wild berries of Canada For humans and herbivores, the chemistry of small fleshy fruits ("berries") determines their palatability, nutritional value, and toxicity. For plants, berry chemistry impacts reproductive success by protecting developing seeds, attracting seed dispersers, and ensuring seed germination. In Canada, berry plants dominate many ecosystems and contribute immeasurably to Indigenous cultures but many have been overlooked scientifically. We integrate Indigenous and scientific knowledge to identify berry species of interest then measure nutrient (sugars, vitamins) and phytochemicals (pigments, polyphenol antioxidants, toxins) through fruit development. While changes in chemistry will inform plant reproductive strategy, the same data will identify species for use in community-based and agricultural initiatives.