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

挖掘北美本土药用和食用植物的生物和化学多样性

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-05450
• 负责人: Harris, Cory
• 金额: $ 4.01万
• 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: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=745569
• 关键词: Tapping; biological; chemical; diversity; North

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.

植物代谢物对全球生态系统和经济至关重要，维持食物链并塑造共同进化关系，同时服务于不同的人类工业和文化目的。在加拿大，尽管我们拥有独特的生物多样性和丰富的本土知识，但令人惊讶的是，我们的本土植物仍然没有得到充分的探索和开发，以实现社会效益。与此同时，加拿大人消费大量植物性食品和天然保健品 (NHP)，但对其化学、药理学和潜在风险/益处的研究却很少。为了解决这些差距，我的项目研究植物化学品的多样性和功能特性，重点关注对人类和植物健康的潜在影响。通过将植物化学与生物活性（治疗和毒性作用）联系起来的统一科学重点，我们整合了民族植物学、分析化学和药理学的方法，以了解化学复杂性/变异性如何与生物活性、人类应用和生态相互作用相关。我们与跨部门利益相关者合作，帮助指导我们的研究并将其转化为良好的产品、干预措施、政策和法规，以造福加拿大人和我们的环境。文化关键物种的民族药理学 (CKS) CKS 概念承认对文化做出贡献的物种，如食物、材料和药物，以及语言、仪式和教义。在美洲，很少有植物 CKS 被鉴定出来，并且经过科学研究的植物也更少。我们将研究北美最具文化意义的两个药用植物群蓍草（蓍草）和艾蒿（山艾）的化学和生物活性。大麻和其他植物中的植物大麻素直到最近，大麻中的四氢大麻酚 (THC) 是唯一已知与内源性大麻素系统 (ECS) 相互作用的天然产物。基于大麻和其他植物中的植物化学物质激活 ECS 的证据，我们研究了纯植物大麻素的药理学与化学多样化/复杂的植物产品（即人们消费的产品）的比较。我们还研究植物在何处以及为何产生植物大麻素，以及这些化合物如何对植物生态生理学做出贡献。加拿大的野生浆果 对于人类和食草动物来说，小肉质水果（“浆果”）的化学成分决定了它们的适口性、营养价值和毒性。对于植物来说，浆果化学通过保护正在发育的种子、吸引种子传播者和确保种子发芽来影响繁殖成功。在加拿大，浆果植物主导着许多生态系统，并对土著文化做出了不可估量的贡献，但许多浆果植物在科学上被忽视了。我们整合本土知识和科学知识来识别感兴趣的浆果品种，然后通过水果发育测量营养物质（糖、维生素）和植物化学物质（色素、多酚抗氧化剂、毒素）。虽然化学变化将为植物繁殖策略提供信息，但相同的数据将确定用于社区和农业举措的物种。