Science Across Borders: 5th Annual Natural Health Product Research Conference—March 26–29, 2008, Toronto, Canada

Canada is experiencing a growing interest in the use of alternative therapies and products particularly natural health products (NHP). In 1997, Canadians spent around C$ 2 billion on NHP. In an attempt to catch with this popularity of NHP use, Canadian researchers and administrators from academia, industry and government jointly established the Natural Health Product Research Society of Canada (NHPRS). Since its formation, NHPRS has been organizing an annual meeting which brings together world renowned researchers and experts in the area of NHP research. For 2008, the annual NHPRS meeting took place in Toronto from the 26th to 29th of March with a focus on ‘Science Across Borders: Global Natural Health Products Research’. The scientific program was spread into three days of plenary lectures and oral presentations. The different sessions containing these talks were on: ethnobotany around the world; chemical analysis of NHP; product standards and quality control; ethnomedicine; novel analytical approaches; systemic research, nutrisciences and molecular medicine; and drug development from NHP. The meeting proved to be a great success in terms of the speakers that were invited and based on the data that was presented which highlighted recent research taking place in the field of NHP not only in Canada but from many parts of the world

Antioxidant Potential of Seven Myrtaceous Fruits

Many fruits of the Myrtaceae have a rich history of use both as edibles and as traditional medicines in divergent ethnobotanical practices throughout the tropical and subtropical world. From South America to Southeast Asia, these fruits have been used for a wide variety of ailments, including cough, diabetes, dysentery, inflammation and ringworm. These same fruits are also used to make many food products. Based on information regarding ethnomedical use, known phytochemistry, fruit color, popularity as edibles and availability, the fruits of several edible species from the subtribe Eugeniinae have been selected for phytochemical analysis in an attempt to discover new antioxidants. The fruits of six species in this group have shown a strong antioxidant activity in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhy-drazyl chemical assay. The UV absorbance spectrum of the most active compound in Eugenia uniflora L. indicates that it is a flavonoid. Polyphenolic compounds like flavonoids have an enormous range of biological activity and are known to inhibit oxidative damage in vivo better than the classical vitamin antioxidants. In plants, they protect against lipid peroxidation and UV damage that can affect tropical fruits growing under severe conditions including high heat and intense sunlight

Artificae Plantae: The Taxonomy, Ecology, and Ethnobotany of the Simulacraceae

The Simulacraceae has long been ignored by traditional botanists despite the fact that this family of artificial plants represents one of the most economically important and geographically diverse groups. In this study, conducted over approximately six years, we elucidate the first full description and review of this fascinating taxon. The economics, distribution, ecology, taxonomy, paleoethnobotany, and phakochemistry of this widespread family are herein presented. We have recently made great strides in circumscribing this group, and collections indicate this cosmopolitan family has a varied ecology. This report delineates approximately 80 species in seventeen genera (Calciumcarbonatia, Celadonica, Conglomeratium, Dentumadhesivium, Ductusadhesivia, Granitus, Simulacra, Lignus, Metallicus, Papyroidia, Paraffinius, Photophyta, Plasticus, Polystyrin, Prophylactica, Silicus, and Textileria) and two tribes (Xenoideae and Simuleae). Continued work is expanding these numbers rapidly. Despite being genomically challenged plants, an initial phylogeny is proposed. In an early attempt to determine the ecological relations of this family, a twenty-meter transect has been inventoried from a Plasticus rain forest in Nyack, New York, yielding 49 new species and the first species-area curve for this family