Natural Products for Drug and Nutraceutical Product Development

Chulabhorn Research Institute has long been investigating on bioactive compounds with potential medicinal applications from various sources such as marine organisms, microorganisms, and medicinal plants. Bioactive compounds from selected medicinal plants, namely Sesamum indicum, Andrographis paniculata, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, and Euphoria longana, have been focused and show promising therapeutic efficacy. These compounds potentially lead to development of modern drugs and nutraceutical products.

Rapid analytical methods for extraction, identification, quantification of phytochemicals, and standardization of the plant extracts are developed. Study on therapeutic efficacy and safety is performed to ensure purity, safety and efficacy of these products. In addition, these standardized plant extracts may be used as value-added ingredients in various food products such as fruit drinks, cooked or canned foods, to enhance their nutritional values and promote good health.