Rediscovering catharanthus roseus: Chemistry and biological activity

• Type: Chapter or Part of a Book
• Date: 2012

Authors

Pereira, DM (Author) Other; Valentao, P (Author) FFUP; Ferreres, F (Author) Other; Sottomayor, M (Author) FCUP; Andrade, PB (Author) FFUP

Book

Title: Green Chemistry

Pages: 261-280

ISBN: 9781613248775

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-3H7

Abstract (EN): Natural products remain today an important source of bioactive molecules to be usedin human therapeutics. This interest arises mainly from the chemical diversity found inNature and the ability of several organisms to synthesize a number of molecules whosecomplexity hinders their total or semi synthesis.Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (formerly Vinca rosea L.) is one of the moststudied medicinal plants due to the accumulation in the leaves of the bisindolemonoterpenic alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine, which were the first naturalanticancer products to be clinically used. Together with a number of semisyntheticderivatives, these compounds are universally known as the Vinca alkaloids, which arestill among the most valuable agents used in the treatment of cancer.In the past few years, a number of studies focusing other biological properties of thisspecies have emerged. In particular, the antioxidant activity and acetylcholinesteraseinhibition of some of its primary and secondary metabolites have showed that, besidesanticancer alkaloids, there might be an interest in exploiting this species for othermedicinal activities and from a health-promoting point of view. In this chapter, an update in C. roseus chemistry and bioactivity is presented. Newmetabolites and new pharmacological properties discovered in the last years using greenchemistry approaches are reviewed, and the potential of further exploitation of C. roseusis discussed.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 20