Units

Pharmacognosy, Bioanalysis & Drug Discovery

Person in charge of the Unit : Oui

The Unit Pharmacognosy, Bioanalysis & Drug Discovery (PBDD) is one of the research units of the Faculty of Pharmacy. Composed of three professors, two associate-professors, 4 assistants and 6 technicians; our unit is able to welcome several Belgian or foreign PhD Students. Specialized in the study of organic drugs, from plants or biotherapeutics, the PBDD Unit promotes researches in the domain of the development and the analysis of molecules with therapeutical potential. For bioguided fractionation of medicinal plant extracts, analysis and quality control of drugs, biotherapeutic characterization, biomarker research for validation of therapeutical targets, the PBDD Unit proposes performant analytical tools such as liquid/gas chromatography, spectroscopic methods (UV-Vis, NIR, Fluorimetry), electrochemistry detectors and mass spectrometry.
PBDD Unit is also responsible for the analytical platform of the Faculty of Pharmacy (apfp.ulb.be).

Projetcs

Investigation of the anti-hepatotoxic activity of medicinal plants from Rwanda

The hepatoprotective activity of plants traditionally used in Rwanda will be established using an in vitro test on liver slices treated by paracetamol, a potent hepatotoxic agent. The most interesting plants will be investigated by a bioguided fractionation to precise the structure of the active molecules. These compounds will then be evaluated in an animal model of viral hepatitis.

The quantitative determination of biologically active constituents or occuring in medicinal plants and their extracts

The quantitative determination of biologically active constituents or occuring in medicinal plants and their extracts is achieved by thin layer chromatography-densitometry. The developped methods are validated using other chromatographic methods as high performance liquid chromatography.

Chemical profile and toxicity of ecstasy tablets illegally distributed in Belgium

In collaboration with Hainaut Vigilance Sanitaire (Dr E. Noël)

Structure elucidation and biological evaluation of anticancer constituents isolated medicinal plants cultivated and collected in Vietnam

The aim of this study is the identification of efficient Vietnamse medicinal plants for cancer treatment. The active constituents will be fractionated using bio-guided assays ant their structure established using spectrometric methods. Standardization of the extracts will be further investigated to optimize the extraction conditions and to ensure a better assurance of quality of the products and security for the patients.

Study on anthocyanic pigments from plants.

Identification and characterization of anthocyanic pigments from fruits and flowers of different plants from Burkina-Faso (Hibiscus sabdariffa, Terminalia catapa, Lannea microcarpa, Adenioum obesum, Voandzea subterranea, Mirabilis jalapa, Sorghum caudatum, Ipomea asarifolia) useful either for the pharmaceutical industry or the  food industry or the cosmetic industry.

Investigation of natural depigmenting agents

Investigation of African traditional remedies used or having been used for problems linked with skin colour.This will allow to propose alternatives to currently used preparations that are based on chemicals with numerous pharmaco-toxicological activities.

Pharmacology Institute - Museum of medicinal plants

L'ancien directeur du Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, de Bromatologie et de Nutrition Humaine, le Professeur M. Vanhaelen, a développé un musée en rapport direct avec les thématiques du service : http://www.ulb.ac.be/musees/mpmp/index.html

Phytochemical study of antiparasitic, antifungic and antimicrobial constituents of African medicinal plants.

Many medicinal plants are used in traditionnal african medicine for the treatment of malaria, trypanosomiasis, helminthiasis and fungic and microbial infections. The identification of the compounds responsible for the biological activity is done using in vitro tests that allow bioguided purification of the most active fractions. Apart from the classical tests for the anti-plasmodial, anti-trypanosomial, fungicide and antimicrobial activities, (tests done in collaboration with other teams), we have developed an original test for nematicide activity on Caenorhabditis elegans, test that has been fully analytically and biologically validated. The standardization of the crude extract is also investigated.

Study on chemopreventive constituents of vegetable and fruits usually eated in Belgium: fractionation, isolation and identification of active constituents.

Selection of the most frequently eaten vegetables and fruits in Belgium. Establishment of screening tests (modifications of the Ames test and study of DNA repair) for the  evaluation of the antimutagenic activity of  extractives obtained by sequential extraction of the plant material by solvents of increasing polarity. Isolation and caracterization of the active constituents. Evaluation of the importance of such constituents on the health conditions.