Pharmacognosy
Research in pharmacognosy is focused on bioactive substances of natural origin. We develop strategies for selection, isolation and characterisation with the objective to discover unique bioactive chemical structures with drug potential, and to reveal unknown targets, by studying the evolutionary structure-activity optimization in Nature.
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Fieldwork: truffle hunting -
Isolation of cyclic peptides from plants -
Fieldwork: sponge collecting -
A deep-sea sponge crude extract with some antibacterial activity -
Extracting RNA from marine worms for transcriptomics -
Exploring the chemical space to select and predict new drug leads -
Growing and collecting violet leaves for peptide extractions -
Setting up a Leishmania assay -
Designing grafted peptides as new drug leads -
Extracting sponge DNA with magnetic beads
Research focus
In addition to the possibility to discover new drug candidates for drug development, bioactive natural products have potential as pharmacological tools, intermediates, or templates for synthesis of drugs. As a multidisciplinary division we conduct extensive national and international research collaborations in e.g. clinical pharmacology, marine chemical ecology, systematic botany and structural biology.
Our research represents a modernization and renewal of a venerable proven science, Pharmacognosy. With today's increased interest for environmental aspects, green chemistry, and a sustainable use of natural products, this renewal could have a strategic position in bridging chemistry and biology.
The ongoing projects are focused on chemistry and biology of ultra stable proteins, methods of selection and target-finding, antifouling and antibacterial molecules from marine organisms (sponges, nemertines), anti-inflammatory and antitumor activity of natural products.
The Pharmacognosy Research Group, BMC December 2015.
News Pharmacognosy
- January 2020. Paco Cárdenas nominated as a member of the ICES/NAFO Joint Working Group on Deep-water Ecology (WGDEC).
- In the top 100 of articles in the largest scientific journal in the world
- 10 April 2019. Hesham El Seedi takes part in the celebration of Vivi Täckholm in Cairo
- 21 December 2018. Old Chemistry Springs into Life - Scientific Breakthrough of the Year!
- 18 Nov 2018 The European Truffle Research Group: Meeting on Gotland!
Contacts
We are constantly looking for MSc students. Contact Prof. Ulf Göransson to know more, or browse our group pages.
Are you a student at the Faculty of Pharmacy, do not forget that you can apply to the Summer research school SOFOSKO!
Publications
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Exploring evolutionary and chemical space using chemoinformatic tools and traditional methods in pharmacognosy
2020
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A green synthetic approach using chili plant supported Ag/Ag2O@P25 heterostructure with enhanced photocatalytic properties under solar irradiation
2019
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A new deep-water Tethya (Porifera, Tethyida, Tethyidae) from the Great Australian Bight and an updated Tethyida phylogeny
2019
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A review on advanced microencapsulation technology to enhance bioavailability of phenolic compounds: Based on its activity in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
2019
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Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.): Food and Medicinal Plant with Potential In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-Cancer Activities
2019
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Biogenesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Pandanus odorifer leaf extract: anticancer and antimicrobial activities
2019
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Biopiracy versus One-World Medicine-From colonial relicts to global collaborative concepts
2019
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Buchwald Hartwig diversification of unprotected halotryptophans, halotryptophan containing tripeptides and the natural product barettin in aqueous conditions
2019
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Cardenolides: Insights from chemical structure and pharmacological utility
2019
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Charting Angiosperm Chemistry: Evolutionary Perspective on Specialized Metabolites Reflected in Chemical Property Space
2019
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Chromatography of Therapeutic Peptides - Contrasting SFC and HPLC
2019
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Design and development of Isatin-triazole hydrazones as potential inhibitors of microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 for the therapeutic management of cell proliferation and metastasis
2019
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Drug-1,3,4-Thiadiazole Conjugates as Novel Mixed-Type Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase: Synthesis, Molecular Docking, Pharmacokinetics, and ADMET Evaluation
2019
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First records of Geodia demosponges from the New England seamounts, an opportunity to test the use of DNA mini-barcodes on museum specimens
2019
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Fueled by methane: deep-sea sponges from asphalt seeps gain their nutrition from methane-oxidizing symbionts
2019
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Heck Diversification of Indole-Based Substrates under Aqueous Conditions: From Indoles to Unprotected Halo-tryptophans and Halo-tryptophans in Natural Product Derivatives
2019
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Integrating morphological and molecular taxonomy with the revised concept of Stelligeridae (Porifera: Demospongiae)
2019
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Investigating architecture and structure-function relationships in cold shock DNA-binding domain family using structural genomics-based approach
2019
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Investigation of factors influencing the separation of diastereomers of phosphorothioated oligonucleotides
2019
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LL-37-derived cyclic antimicrobial drug leads: Design, synthesis, activity and different ways of creating them
2019
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Marine Natural Products: A Source of Novel Anticancer Drugs
2019
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Melittin Exerts Beneficial Effects on Paraquat-Induced Lung Injuries in Mice by Modifying Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis
2019
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Metabolite Profiling and Quantitation of Cucurbitacins in Cucurbitaceae Plants by Liquid Chromatography coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry
2019
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Metal nanoparticles fabricated by green chemistry using natural extracts: biosynthesis, mechanisms, and applications
2019
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Microwave Extraction of Essential Oils from Senecio serpens GD Rowly and Comparison with Conventional Hydro-Distillation Method
2019
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Molecular study supports the position of the New Zealand endemic genus Lamellomorpha in the family Vulcanellidae (Porifera, Demospongiae, Tetractinellida), with the description of three new species
2019
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Novel C-2 Symmetric Molecules as -Glucosidase and -Amylase Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, Kinetic Evaluation, Molecular Docking and Pharmacokinetics
2019
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Optimization of Hyperglycemic Induction in Zebrafish and Evaluation of Its Blood Glucose Level and Metabolite Fingerprint Treated with Psychotria malayana Jack Leaf Extract
2019
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Plants mentioned in the Islamic Scriptures (Holy Qur'an and Ahadith): Traditional uses and medicinal importance in contemporary times
2019
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Profiling Metabolites and Biological Activities of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum Linn.) Juice and Its Product Molasses via a Multiplex Metabolomics Approach
2019
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Protective Effects of Flavone from Tamarix aphylla against CCl4-Induced Liver Injury in Mice Mediated by Suppression of Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis and Angiogenesis
2019
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Recent Advances in Kaempferia Phytochemistry and Biological Activity: A Comprehensive Review
2019
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Recent advances in the development of sesquiterpenoids in the treatment of type 2 diabetes
2019
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Revisions to the Classification, Nomenclature, and Diversity of Eukaryotes
2019
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Revisiting the phylogeny of Dipsacales: New insights from phylogenomic analyses of complete plastomic sequences
2019
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Screening for bioactive secondary metabolites in Sri Lankan medicinal plants by microfractionation and targeted isolation of antimicrobial flavonoids from Derris scandens
2019
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Studies on cysteine-rich peptides from Nemertea and Violaceae: Proteomic and transcriptomic discovery and characterization
2019
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Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vivo Anti-Cancer Activity of New Metal Complexes Derived from Isatin-N(4)antipyrinethiosemicarbazone Ligand Against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Cells
2019
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The anti-inflammatory potential of Portulaca oleracea L. (purslane) extract by partial suppression on NF-kappa B and MAPK activation
2019
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The promise of zebrafish as a model of metabolic syndrome
2019
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The Toxins of Nemertean Worms
2019
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Toxicity study on Clinacanthus nutans leaf hexane fraction using Danio rerio embryos
2019
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Truffles: From Islamic culture to chemistry, pharmacology, and food trends in recent times
2019
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Variation in Ceratonia siliqua pod metabolome in context of its different geographical origin, ripening stage and roasting process
2019
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A Review on the Scope of TFDO-Mediated Oxidation in Organic Synthesis-Reactivity and Selectivity
2018
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Action of antimicrobial peptides and their prodrugs on model and biological membranes
2018
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Alanine and Lysine Scans of the LL-37-Derived Peptide Fragment KR-12 Reveal Key Residues for Antimicrobial Activity
2018
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Avidin-biotin cross-linked microgel multilayers as carriers for antimicrobial peptides
2018
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Briaviolides K-N, New Briarane-Type Diterpenoids from Cultured Octocoral Briareum violaceum
2018
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Broad range chemical profiling of natural deep eutectic solvent extracts using a high performance thin layer chromatography-based method
2018