The isolation and characterization of natural products from marine plants and microorganisms

UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Amanda J. Krzysiak (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
Advisor
Jeffery Wright

Abstract: Many organisms, including plants, microbes and invertebrates produce compounds called as natural products. The production of natural products often confers some advantage to the producing organism such as chemical defense from predators. Other natural products can have a different role in the producing organism such as preventing or limiting ultraviolet light damage from the sun. Such sun screens are found in microalgae and vascular plants. These natural products have been shown to display cytotoxicity, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and antiparasitic activity. Due to the biological activity shown by many natural products, these molecules have been used in our pharmacopia. Compounds like penicillin, isolated from a fungus, and nonpharmaceutical compounds such as ginseng from green tea are natural products used by humans to benefit human health. As the investigation of natural products has resulted in a remarkable number of compounds of benefit to humankind, the continued study of secondary metabolism and natural products has and continues to be of great importance. This thesis describes an investigation of the secondary metabolites of selected marine fungi to identify anti-microbial natural products as well as the UV protecting compounds of the endangered sea grass Halophila johnsonii. Although no novel compounds could be characterized from the marine fungi, a collection of flavonoid derivatives was identified in Halophila johnsonii.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters of Science
Language: English
Date: 2009
Keywords
Biological products, Extraction (Chemistry) , Marine resources , Natural products , Plant extracts, Plant products
Subjects
Natural products
Extraction (Chemistry)
Marine resources
Biological products
Plant extracts
Plant products

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