Investigation of compounds for controlling infectious diseases from nomadic traditional useful plants guided by insect assay systems oriented to vectors

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16397
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 47050:Environmental and natural pharmaceutical resources-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University
• Principal Investigator: MURATA Toshihiro 東北医科薬科大学, 薬学部, 講師 (70458214)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: モンゴル国 / 薬用植物 / 成分薬効解析 / 人畜共通感染症 / 病原性原虫 / 媒介者 / 昆虫試験系 / マダニ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Zoonotic diseases are emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that sometimes cause sudden epidemics and are a global threat. In order to find compounds from Mongolian plants　that can be used to combat pathogens such as protozoa and viruses, as well as vectors such as ticks, we conducted chemical and biological analyses. The results in this project had been reported in a total of 5 papers. As an example, we isolated and determined the chemical structures of flavonoids with trypanocidal activity from Artemisia sieversiana. As a vector control, we secured ticks that transmit the pathogen locally with the cooperation of Mongolia, and in Japan, we researched targeting the insect's innate immune system and nervous system using aphids as a model. This project will be continued in 21H02638 from FY2021.

Free Research Field

生薬学・天然物化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

モンゴル国植物を対象に、どのような効果や特性を持つ化合物が各植物に含まれているか？をまず明らかにするために、新規物質を含む多様な化合物を探索し、その化学構造を決定した。この成分化学的な知見は、薬学・医学・植物学的な分野をはじめ、次の段階の応用研究を進めるにあたり、その研究材料となる化合物を提案できる点で極めて重要である。更に、日本国内研究機関やモンゴル国研究機関の協力のもと、本課題で得た化合物について、実際に現地で問題となっている原虫・ウイルス等の病原体や、その媒介者となるマダニ等へ及ぼす影響を直接調べることができた。構造活性相関の検討を行い、医薬シーズを見出す上で重要な知見が得られた。