Plants as sources of biomolecules for pharmaceutical drugs

Jiten Sharma
Contd from previous issue
To evaluate the potential interest of plants and plant derivatives, different approaches can be used. The interest in novel plant molecules is dependent on many cross-linked aspects such as, availability of funds supporting the research activities, market interests, new industrial research plans, government policy decisions, newer pharmaceutical needs and specific scientific interest of researchers. Once all or parts of such conditions are met, research activities can initiate.The first step consists of the selection of plants to be investigated which again depend on various aspects. In some cases, plants are selected on the basis known uses in traditional medicine. Further, religious rituals, believes and mortuary ceremonies also constitute precious reasons. These understandings represent the basic inspirations for advanced researches.
Depending upon facilities for carrying out crucial investigations, a large number of plants can be randomly tested. Once plants have been selected, research activities begin. Depending upon plants, the whole plant or specific parts such as roots, leaves, flowers or fruits are used as starting material to be processed for evaluating possible biological activities. In order to obtain molecules from the whole plant or specific parts, careful evaluations based on chemical analyses and biological tests are performed. Chemical analyses are carried out to understand the chemical structure of the bio-active molecules. The first step consists of an extraction procedure for molecules collected without affecting their chemical structures. Molecular separation is then carried out by chromatographic techniques (TLC, CC, HPLC) and their chemical structures are investigated by methodologies such as FT-IR, GC-MS and NMR.
(To be contd)