GA 2017

After a century of microscopy, the advent of chromatography changed the field of Pharmacognosy completely: from botany to chemistry. Particularly Professor Dr. Egon Stahl played a major role in the 1960ties by developing and standardizing thin layer chromatography. Due to his pioneering work TLC became a standard method in all laboratories working with natural products. About 40 years later with the advent of metabolomics it became clear how important his clear vision on the need for standardization is. Now we may ask the question: what will be the next breakthrough for natural products research and Pharmacognosy? At least the 2015 Nobel prize for Medicine and Physiology should be seen as an important gesture from the medical world. It is the recognition of natural products as an important resource for developing novel medicines. Moreover the changing economic reality results in shifting scientific interests. A more sustainable production of food and other products is urgently needed. This raises the interest in learning more about natural resistance in crop plants to be able to reduce the use of agrochemicals. That means insight in biosynthesis of secondary metabolites is needed. But also increasing appreciation of other medical systems is important to note. Medical systems based on a more holistic approach, require a systemic approach to understand their traditional medications. The paradigm of “single compound – single target” will not help much to understand the meaning of making mixtures of plants. Instead synergy and prodrugs needs to be taken into account. The omics and particularly metabolomics will play an important role in the natural products research. Chromatography and spectroscopic methods will be major tools, as well as molecular biology and microscopy. All research will be connected with biological activities, e.g. in plant resistance or as health affecting compounds. So a lot of work waiting for us!