Chemistry

Dr. K V Radhakrishnan
CSIR-NIIST - Trivandrum

Abstract Information and knowledge on the chemistry, the availability pattern of the biochemical compounds vis-à-vis the ecology of such plant species and the nutrition value of most of the Keralaâ��s food and health biodiversity is woefully inadequate today. Many of the traditionally cultivated or conserved species that have historically contributed to food, nutrition and health needs of the people (often those belonging to the poor and vulnerable sections) became neglected! It is imperative therefore for botanists, social scientists, agricultural scientists; natural product chemists, medicinal chemists, nutrition experts and biochemists to work together with the local community to produce evidence based knowledge that will help to take better decisions for the sustainable management of this dying biodiversity of India. Along this line, we undertook the phytochemical and bio-evaluation of a selected group of high priority plants of Kerala for food, nutrition and health, with special emphasis on plants with proven activity based on traditional knowledge (Ayurveda, traditional healing practices, folk claims and oral health traditions of Kerala). The studies involved detailed investigation of different families of plants found in Western Ghats of Kerala. Phytochcemical evaluation of different species of plants from families such as Dipterocarpaceae, Zingiberaceae, Vitaceae, Simaroubaceae, Celastraceae etc was carried out and the bio-evaluation of phytomolecules was carried out with special emphasis on diabetes and cancer. Details of the work will be presented.