title: Isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds from plant resources: the role of analysis in the ethnopharmacological approach.
abstract: The phytochemical research based on ethnopharmacology is considered an effective approach in the discovery of novel chemicals entities with potential as drug leads. Plants/plant extracts/decoctions, used by folklore traditions for treating several diseases, represent a source of chemical entities but no information are available on their nature. Starting from this viewpoint, the aim of this review is to address natural-products chemists to the choice of the best methodologies, which include the combination of extraction/sample preparation tools and analytical techniques, for isolating and characterizing bioactive secondary metabolites from plants, as potential lead compounds in the drug discovery process. The work is distributed according to the different steps involved in the ethnopharmacological approach (extraction, sample preparation, biological screening, etc.), discussing the analytical techniques employed for the isolation and identification of compound/s responsible for the biological activity claimed in the traditional use (separation, spectroscopic, hyphenated techniques, etc.). Particular emphasis will be on herbal medicines applications and developments achieved from 2010 up to date.
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Center for Studies and Researches in Ethnopharmacy (C.I.St.R.E.), University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: gloria.brusotti@unipv.it.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brusotti
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cesari
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dentamaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caccialanza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massolini
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods; D020834:Ethnopharmacology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Activity-oriented separation hyphenated techniques; Drug discovery; Ethnopharmacological approach; Natural sources deriving compounds; Traditional medicines