There is a growing trend to use “natural” products in several fields e.g., natural cosmetics, natural home and personal care products, natural supplements, etc. Well, there might be many reasons for the success of these kind of products and some of them might be good, but there is a thing that always puzzles and, toContinue reading “Do you think that natural equals safe? Well, think again!”
Category Archives: Let’s talk about science
What fascinates you about plant natural product chemistry?
Plants are excellent chemists and fascinating organisms. I realized this early during my studies. However, if I were to recall when exaclty I became interested in the topic, I cannot really say it. I think that my first “experiments” in phytochemistry date back to when I was a kid. I used to wander in myContinue reading “What fascinates you about plant natural product chemistry?”
Why do plants produce painkillers?
Plants do not feel pain. They do not have a nervous system and even more important they do not have a brain to integrate external stimuli. Then, why do they synthesize painkillers? Ok, maybe we need to make a step back. Aspirin, morphine, codeine, and cannabinoids are all drugs with a significant analgesic effect, andContinue reading “Why do plants produce painkillers?”
Plant derived natural products and COVID-19
Plant derived natural products are an invaluable help in drug discovery. Many compounds that we use as medicines were first isolated from plants or at least are inspired by plant chemicals. In some cases, indeed, these compounds work just fine as they are, while in others it is possible to change or improve their activityContinue reading “Plant derived natural products and COVID-19”
Debunking fake news about the use of plants or plant derived compounds in the treatment or prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection
We are living in challenging times. In times like these, everyone is under pressure, feeling lost and confused. Nevertheless, we crave good news. We want to hear that the death toll is decreasing and that we managed to flatten the curve, dreaming about going back to “normality” (for whatever that means). Many of us areContinue reading “Debunking fake news about the use of plants or plant derived compounds in the treatment or prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection”
PhytoChem 