Our research field is the study of the chemistry and biology of the family Asteraceae (or Composite), although other plant families have been recently investigated. Asteraceae is one of the largest among the angiosperms with ca. 25,000 species spread in different biomes from several countries, showing taxonomic, ecological, economic as well as medicinal interest. The family comprises several widely known species such as sunflower, arnica, chamomile, artichoke, daisy, marigold, chrysanthemum, thistle and dahlia. Our chemistry research is focused on phytochemistry, metabolomics and chemoinformatics, while our biology research is basically concentrated on plant physiology, ecophysiology and diverse biological assays using different models, such as animals, tissue and organ preparations, insects, parasites, microorganisms, cells, enzymes, etc. Besides Asteraceae, our group has also also interest in members from Anacardiaceae, Anonnaceae, Bromeliaceae, Cannabaceae, Loranthaceae, Malpighiaceae, Melastomataceae and Vochysiaceae, among other groups, specially food plants and crops. An overview of our main research topics is depicted in the picture below. Main research topics of the AsterBioChem team PhytochemistryOur research is focused on the detection/identification, isolation and structure elucidation of secondary metabolites from crude extracts as well as glandular trichomes of Asteraceae species using phytochemical methods as depicted below:
The taxonomic groups from Asteraceae of interest are described as follows:
In addition, wild plants consumed as food from the genera Acmella, Emilia, Lactuca and Sonchus, among others, are also included in our research. Specimens from other families are also investigated and currently the genera Spondias (Anacardiaceae), Ananas (Bromeliaceae) and Humulus lupulus (Cannabaceae) are being currently investigated. Other genera such as Miconia (Melastomataceae), Passovia and Struthanthus (Loranthaceae) were recently studied. A plant extract library of different species of Asteraceae is available for metabolomic studies and screening against different targets. This library is under constant update and currently comprises more than 300 standardized extracts obtained in EtOH:H2O of powdered and air-dried plant material. The selection criteria for the plant species are mainly based on chemosystematics or ethnobotanical information with focus on anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Plant extracts against tropical protozoan parasites (see Biological Assays) are also of interest, especially against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. Other topics such as biogeography and plant physiology are also of interest. The main classes of secondary metabolites investigated are the terpenoids (mainly sesqui- and diterpenes) and phenolics (flavonoids and trans-cinnamic acid derivatives). Special attention has been paid to sesquiterpene lactones because of their chemotaxonomic, toxic and pharmacological importance. ![]() Species of the genus Aldama from Brazil (photos by FB Da Costa) Species from the subtribe Espeletiinae (frailejones) collected in the high Andean páramos of Venezuela and Colombia were recently investigated. The páramos is an ecosystem in the high elevations of the northern Andes from South America. This research is being carried out in collaboration with Dr. Mauricio Diazgranados (Missouri Botanical Garden, USA). South American species from the subfamily Barnadesioideae are also of interest and were obtained in Peru and Bolivia. Metabolomics
Chemoinformatics
![]() Prediction of the retention time of a 3D chemical structure from our data base
![]() In house data base containing information of our plant extract and pure compound libraries Biological Assays
The AsterBioChem team is member of the ResNet NPND (Research Network Natural Products against Neglected Diseases), a research network dedicated to the search of natural products against neglected diseases. ![]() The ResNet NPND network was officially established in April 2011 in Münster, Germany, and is composed of natural products and medicinal chemists, molecular/cellular biologists, biochemists, parasitologists and other professionals from different continents dedicated to the study of neglected diseases caused by Trypanosoma (Chagas' disease and human African trypanosomiasis), Leishmania species (various forms of Leishmaniasis) and Plasmodium species (malaria). |