Plants produce molecules to interact with their environment and protect themselves against external threats. These molecules can also have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, some of which are beneficial to human health. These properties are valued by traditional medicines and inspire the development of medicinal products by contemporary chemists.
The majority of medications on the market are or are derived from natural products. Among others, several classes of antibiotics used to combat bacterial infections are based on the chemical structure of natural products.
For example, erythromycin A is a natural antibiotic produced by a micro-organism. It is used to combat various bacterial infections. Another antibiotic, clarithromycin, is made by changing the structure of erythromycin A.
Derived from living organisms, biobased products also have applications in a wide range of fields, including cosmetics, food supplements, crop protection products and animal feed.
Our research group at the LASEVE laboratory at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi is interested in the use of natural products derived from