Abstract
Over the years 1981 to 2001 there has been a rapid evolution of research into medicinal plants. The major improvement has been the introduction of simple and predictive bioassays for bioactivity-guided isolation. Radical developments in separation methods have also taken place. Another important addition has been the development of hyphenated techniques involving HPLC: LC/UV, LC/MS, LC/MSn and LC/NMR. These are indispensable nowadays for the early detection and identification of new compounds in crude plant extracts. Hyphenated techniques allow an efficient targeted isolation approach for the discovery of new lead compounds. Other areas of increasing importance include the investigation of toxic constituents of plants and phytomedicines, and the effects of genetic modifications on plant secondary metabolites.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cavin A, Potterat O, Wolfender J-L & Hostettmann K (1998) LC/UV/MS and LC/NMR of an antioxidant fraction from Orophea enneandra and isolation of a polyacetylene, lignans and a tocopherol derivative. J. Nat. Prod. 61: 1497–1501.
Cortez DAG, Marston A & Hostettmann K (1999) Separation of xanthones and a biphenyl from Kielmeyera coriacea by centrifugal partition chromatography. Chromatographia 50: 7–10.
Cuendet M, Hostettmann K, Potterat O & Dyatmiko W (1997) Iridoid glucosides with free radical scavenging properties from Fagraea blumei. Helv. Chim. Acta 80: 1144–1152.
Dapkevicius A, van Beek TA & Niederländer HAG (2001) Evaluation and comparison of two improved techniques for the on-line detection of antioxidants in liquid chromatography eluates. J. Chromatogr. A 912: 73–82.
Gebhardt R (2000) In vitro screening of plant extracts and phytopharmaceuticals: novel approaches for the elucidation of active compounds and their mechanism. Planta Med. 66: 99–105.
Hostettmann K (1980) Droplet counter-current chromatography and its application to the preparative scale separation of natural products. Planta Med. 39: 1–18.
Hostettmann K (Ed.) (1991) Methods in Plant Biochemistry, Vol. 6, Assays for Bioactivity. Academic Press, London.
Hostettmann K, Appolonia C, Domon B & Hostettmann M (1984) Droplet countercurrent chromatography-new applications in natural products chemistry. J. Liq. Chromatogr. 7: 231–242.
Hostettmann K, Marston A & Hostettmann M (1998) Preparative Chromatography Techniques: Application in Natural Product Isolation. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Houghton PJ (2000) Use of small scale bioassays in the discovery of novel drugs from natural sources. Phytother. Res. 14: 419–423.
Ioset JR, Raoelison GE & Hostettmann K (2002) An LC/DADUV/MS method for the rapid detection of aristolochic acid in plant preparations. Planta Med. 68: 856–858.
Kaufman PB, Cseke LJ & Okubo A (1999) Bioseparation of compounds. In: Kaufman PB, Cseke LJ, Warber S, Duke JA & Brielmann HL (eds) Natural Products from Plants (pp. 207–240). CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Marston A & Hostettmann, K (1994) Counter-current chromatography as a preparative tool-applications and perspectives. J. Chromatogr. A 658: 315–341.
Marston A, Kissling J & Hostettmann K (2002) A rapid TLC bioautographic method for the detection of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors in plants. Phytochem. Anal. 13: 51–54.
Newman DJ, Cragg GM & Snader KM (2000). The influence of natural products upon drug discovery. Nat. Prod. Rep. 17: 215–234.
Pratt DE & Miller EE (1984) A flavonoid antioxidant in Spanish peanuts (Arachia hypogoea). JAOCS 61: 1064–1067.
Schaller F, Rahalison L, Islam N, Potterat O, Hostettmann K, Stoeckli-Evans H & Mavi S (2000) A new potent antifungal ‘quinone methide’ diterpene with a cassane skeleton from Bobgunnia madagascariensis. Helv. Chim. Acta 83: 407–413.
Suter R, Tanner M, Borel C, Hostettmann K & Freyvogel TA (1986) Laboratory and field trials at Ifakara (Kilombero District, Tanzania) on the plant molluscicide Swartzia madagascariensis. Acta Trop. 43: 69–83.
Tanimura T, Pisano JJ, Ito Y & Bowman RL (1970) Droplet countercurrent chromatography. Science 169: 54–56.
Wang Y, Hamburger m, Cheng CHK, Costall B, Naylor RJ, Jenner P & Hostettmann K (1991) Neurotoxic sesquiterpenoids from the yellow star thistle Centaurea solstitialis L. (Asteraceae). Helv. Chim. Acta 74: 117–123.
Wolfender J-L, Ndjoko K & Hostettmann K (2001) The potential of LC-NMR in phytochemical analysis. Phytochem. Anal. 11: 1–22.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hostettmann, K., Marston, A. Twenty years of research into medicinal plants: Results and perspectives. Phytochemistry Reviews 1, 275–285 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026046026057
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026046026057