Obtaining of natural plant products
Within this line, the group works growing the scrophulariaceae Bellardia trixago. This plant is a species that has two chemotypes endemic in the province of Granada, and it will be used for the obtaining of the bioactive diterpenes, geranilgeraniol and trixagol. Both molecules are of great interest, the first as an antitumoural and the second for the industrial synthesis of amber fixers for perfumery. Furthermore, the group is researching the active principles of (i) Manzanilla of Sierra Nevada, Artemisia granatensis, widely used as a medicinal infusion; (ii) Dittrichia viscosa Inula viscosa, in this case as a source of ilicic acid, the raw material for the chemical synthesis of eudesmols, useful in the treatment of migraine and Alzheimer's disease, and (iii) Geranium macrorrhyzum for the obtaining of germacrene, useful in the synthesis of the powerful antitumoural b-elemene, Lavandula luisieri as a source of necrodanes with insecticide activity, and Senecio nebrodensis as a source of shikimic acid, used for synthesis of tamiflu, antibacterial used for treating bird flu and influenza A.