Plant Medicinal Chemistry

Catalog description

The course will focus on how the modern pharmacopeia has been influenced by the vast array of chemicals produced by plants. Digoxin, for example, has been used for the treatment of heart conditions and was first reported in western medicine in 1785. The plant from which this compound is extracted, the common foxglove (Digitalis sp) has evolved a complex pathway that results in the synthesis of this compound. The course will provide an overview of how plant secondary metabolites are produced and why plants make them and will also explore the use of plant chemicals in both medicine and other fields of human endeavors expanding the students¿ appreciation and understanding of plants. We will also discuss the potential of biotechnology in providing products for various industries.