2011, No. 2

Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research GA Gesellschaft für Arzneipflanzen- und Naturstoff-Forschung e.V.

Message from the President

order to further advance this fabulous trend I there - fore would like to encourage you to publish your relevant articles in our journal which clearly serves as an excellent platform for exchange of knowl - R

edge and ideas between scientists worldwide. R I want to thank the editor of the GA Newsletter, Prof. Hensel, very much for all his efforts; he always welcomes your feed back and contribu - tions and wants to keep the Newsletter attractive and valuable.

In the last members meeting it was decided to E E raise the membership fees of GA. This was neces - sary after 6 years in order to keep our budget bal - anced in the next years. With 60 € regular fees and 400 € for corporate members, it is still a reason - able range and I hope that you can accept it. The T

reduced fees for student members and members T from certain countries (20 €) shall not be in - Dear Members, creased. Just as a friendly reminder, the annual membership fees are due and payable at least in during the member’s meeting in Antalya, the BoD January of each year, therefore I kindly ask you to of GA has newly been elected. The detailed results make arrangements to have the fee paid in time. If T of the elections are published in this Newsletter. you have already submitted your 2012 member - T Prof. Wolfgang Blaschek has been elected as the ship fee, please ignore this message. Otherwise, new president of GA. I want to congratulate him we would appreciate that you make the payment very much and wish him a successful presidency. for your 2012 membership fee as soon as possi - Prof. Hamburger and me have been elected as ble. These are difficult times, but with your help vice pres idents, Dr. Benedek for secretary and GA will continue to be an excellent Society. th

Dr. Roether as treasurer. I want to take the chance The last annual and 59 congress was again very E to thank my colleagues in the ExC and BoD for the well attended and successful; it was the first time E good team work and for all the time and the enthu - the GA annual congress was organized out of siasm they spent for GA. It has always been a Europe in Turkey, in Antalya as an attractive spot pleasure to work with such a good team! blending history and culture. You will find a special I want to thank Prof. Susanne Alban for serving in report in this Newsletter. We could attract espe - L the BoD for many years and I appreciate very cially many young scientists from all parts of the L much that she will continue as co-chair of the PC world. So the GA meeting became again a plat - “Regulatory Affairs on Herbal Medicinal Prod - form for an exchange of knowledge and ideas ucts”. Moreover, I want to thank Prof. Skaltsounis between scientists from different regions. On be - and Dr. Kelber for their support in the BoD and I half of GA, I want to thank the organizer of the hope that they will be active for GA also in the congress in Antalya, Prof. Baser and the organiz -

future. Special thanks to Prof. Franz who acted as ing company for all their work and engagement. S S chair of the PC “Breeding and Cultivation of They did an excellent job and we will keep the Medicinal Plants” for decades and therefore have Antalya meeting in best remembrance. More than influenced GA to a great extent. 800 abstracts of the presentations have again GA has done very well over the years, in large part been published in Planta Medica . I want to thank due to a group of dedicated members who have the publisher, Thieme Verlag Stuttgart, Dr. Regina volunteered their time and expertise to ensure that Wenzel, and the issue-editor Prof. Baser very our business is done. I want to express my sincere much for all their efforts. A quite high number of appreciation to all of those who have served (and posters have not been presented during the con -

continue to serve) GA in many capacities. We cur - gress, although the corresponding abstracts have W W rently have more than 1500 members from more been published in Planta Medica ; suggestions for than 85 nations and I am very pleased that GA has future handling of the abstract publication will be truly developed to a globally leading society in the discussed (e.g. only electronic publication of ab - field of medicinal plant and natural product re - stracts). search. This positive development is nicely re - During the congress, the Egon-Stahl-Award in flected in our flagship journal, Planta Medica (ISI Gold, which is the highest scientific honour of GA E Impact Factor 2010 of 2.369), which under the and acknowledges the outstanding scientific life - E able guidance of Prof. Dr. Luc Pieters and his as - time work of a research scientist, was given to the sociate editors, has reported another record year Honory Member of GA, Prof. Dr. Otto Sticher. The of submissions, and continues to improve in quali - Bionorica Phytoneering Award of GA was award - ty (see also Planta Medica monthly newsletter). In ed for the second time, winner of this award is N N Prof. Dr. Veronika Butterweck, University the international importance of medicinal and countries who I personally would like of Florida (USA). Marija Leska has been plant research, such global networking is to welcome to the GA family. announced as the winner of the newly es - extremely necessary and fruitful. I hope Last but not least I want to say good bye tablished Dr. Willmar Schwabe Research that many of you will attend and old and as presi dent of GA. It was an honour to Scholarship for Young Scientists (lauda - new members meet again at this very at - serve GA in this way for four years and I tiones are published in this NL). As in pre - tractive event. Please visit the GA home - want to thank everybody for his/her sup - vious years, GA has also supported 9 page regularly for updated information on port and trust. young scientists (PhD students and Post - this congress. I wish you a healthy, lucky and successful doctoral Fellows) with travel grants. Besides our annual congress, GA is again year 2012 and I am looking forward to see - The attractiveness of medicinal plant re - coorganizing several other symposia on ing many of you in the famous city of New search can also be seen in the number of medicinal plant research during the year York, during an exciting and stimulating scientists attending our meetings/work - 2012, and I hope that you can attend some congress! shops. of these meetings as well. You can find the The annual and 60 th GA congress in 2012 corresponding information in this Newslet - Cordially, will be organized as Joint meeting by ASP ter or on our web site (www.ga-online.org). in New York, together with AFERP, GA, SIF We are observing an increasing interna - and PSE, and I am convinced that this tional interest in a membership in GA: we meeting in New York will be another mile - even have attracted a broad range of new stone in the history of our Societies. Due to members from a multitude of organizations Brigitte Kopp, GA president

Dear members, Planta Medica at our member’s meeting at the yearly an - Message from the Editor-in-Chief nual GA-congress in September last year I was elected GA-president for the next two After five years as plant biotechnology, a field that is no years. I would like to take this opportunity Editor-in-Chief of longer covered by the editorial scope of to thank you for your confidence. Together Planta Medica , the the journal, as has previously been an - with the other highly competent personali - time has come to nounced, for their valuable work during ties of the Board of Directors I’m con - look back and to many years. The size of the Editorial Board vinced we can really support the interests make some reflec - will be reduced from 17 to 9 Editors, in - of GA. In case of any problems or propos - tions about the fu - cluding Adolf Nahrstedt (Senior Editor), als concerning GA don’t hesitate to con - ture. Over the past Matthias Hamburger (Review Editor), tact one of us. few years the Rudolf Bauer, Veronika Butterweck, Tho- number of issues mas Efferth, Irmgard Merfort, Hermann Cordially of Planta Medica Stuppner, Yang-Chang Wu, and myself as has increased from Editor-in-Chief. As is custom with most Wolfgang Blaschek, 12 to 18 per year. Electronic access has scientific journals, membership of the Ad - GA president widely been promoted, and the impact visory Board rotates at regular intervals. factor has increased from 1.746 (IF 2006) The aim of the Advisory Board is to provide to 2.369 (IF 2010), the all-time highest im - a core of dedicated and reliable reviewers, pact factor the journal has ever reached. who are very familiar with Planta Medica , This is a clear indication that Planta Med - its editorial scope and its guidelines, and ica continues to grow as an attractive jour - who will be considered “first choice” re - nal in the field of Medicinal Plant and Nat - viewers by the Editors. Most of the former ural Product Research, and that the Edito - Editors have agreed to act as Advisory rial Board is in a position to choose only Board members from now on, and in addi - those manuscripts that meet the highest tion I would like to welcome Claus Cornett scientific standards. Some highlights of (Copenhagen, Denmark), Nicolas Oberlies the past year include the Special Issue on (Greensboro, North Carolina, USA), Jose- Tropical Diseases, edited by J. Bero and Luis Rios (Valencia, Spain), Ping-Jyun J. Quetin-Leclercq [1], the Special Issue Sung (Pingtung, Taiwan) and Günther with selected contributions from the 7 th Vollmer (Dresden, Germany). The advice Tannin Conference and the 58 th Annual and dedication of the Advisory Board Congress of the Society for Medicinal members, especially as expert reviewers, Plant Research in Berlin [2], and the ab - is an important support for the journal. The stract volume of the 59 th International Con - Advisory Board members make a signifi - gress and Annual Meeting of the Society cant contribution both to the field of phar - for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product macognosy and to the journal’s interna - Research (4 –9 September 2011, Antalya, tional success. Turkey), edited by K.H.C. Ba şer [3]. For In 2012 Planta Medica will maintain its 2012 there are also two Special Issues close relationship to the Society for Medic - scheduled. inal Plant and Natural Product Research. It In order to further improve and streamline should be noted that members of the GA the review process, and taking into ac - are entitled to a personal electronic sub - count the new focus of the journal that was scription to Planta Medica at a very com - implemented last year, it has been decided petitive rate – have a look at www.ga-on - to renew the composition and the size of line.org/planta_medica.html. the Editorial and the Advisory Board. I The aim of Planta Medica is the communi - would like to thank especially Prof. Wolf - cation of significant research contributions gang Barz and Prof. Wolfgang Kreis, who in the field of medicinal plants and natural have been editing almost all manuscripts products. A scientific journal based on a in the field of plant molecular biology and peer-review system is only possible with

2 the dedication of lots of scientists The Society informs who evaluate and comment on the submitted manu - scripts. The Edito - Notes to all GA members rial Board and the Publisher of Planta Medica gratefully acknowledge the time consuming Editorial remark Deceased members but highly valuable efforts provided by the reviewers on a vol - untary basis. Many authors appreciate the comments and suggestions made by the All contributions for the (to our knowledge) reviewers, and use these to improve the GA-Newsletter are welcome. quality of their manuscripts. Deadline for submission is fixed Prof. Dr. Meinhart H. Zenk Best wishes for 2012! to May 20 th 2012. Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany Luc Pieters, Editor-in-Chief Please send all contributions by e-mail: Deceased 05.07.2011 at age 78 References Prof. Dr. A. Hensel 1. Bero J, Quetin-Leclercq J. Natural Products and University of Münster, Member of GA Tropical Diseases. Planta Med 2011; 77: 571. Institute for Pharmaceutical from 1974 to 2009 2. Kolodziej H, Hagerman AE. Polyphenols, Ethno- Biology and Phytochemistry, medicine, and Benefit Sharing. Planta Med 2011; 77: 1069. Hittorfstrasse 56, The Society will keep 3. Ba şer KHC. International Congress and Annual D-48149 Münster, Germany commemoration and offers its Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and [email protected] sincere condolence. Natural Product Research. Planta Med 2011; 77: 1229.

Announcement of the Egon-Stahl-Award in Bronze 2012

On the occasion of his 60 th birthday, Pro - PSE and SIF) and Annual Meeting of GA in and reprints of several of his/her more re - fessor Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Egon Stahl do - New York, 28 July – 1 August 2012 cent publications. All publications can be nated a medal, a document and a mone - (http://icnpr2012.org). taken into consideration. tary prize in order to recognize and pro - Members of the Society for Medicinal All documents have to be submitted in mote young scientists working in the field Plant and Natural Product Research (GA) electronic form (as CD in 5 copies). Dead - of Pharmacognosy (Pharmaceutical Biol - are invited to submit nominations for can - line for submission is March 15, 2012. ogy) and Analytical Phytochemistry. didates together with supporting data to As a rule, the bronze medal and an award the president of GA, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Blaschek, GA President of € 1,500 will be given to young scholars Blaschek, Kiel, Germany. Nominations of Documents to be sent to: up to the age of about thirty whose thesis oneself cannot be considered. was of outstanding quality. The prize will A nomination for the prize has to include a Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Blaschek, GA President, Phar - maceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Univer - be awarded during the 60th International CV, incorporating the candidate´s scientific sity of Kiel, Gutenbergstraße 76, 24118 Kiel, Ger - Congress (Joint Meeting with ASP, AFERP, career, an index on her/his publications, many. [email protected].

Announcement of the Dr. Willmar Schwabe Award 2012 of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research

For the 4 th time the Dr. Willmar Schwabe Research groups and scientists of univer - Congress (Joint Meeting with ASP, Award of GA will be given in 2012. The Dr. sities and other non-commercial scientific AFERP, PSE and SIF) and Annual Meeting Willmar Schwabe Award acknowledges institutions are entitled to apply. Scientific of GA in New York, 28 July – 1 August outstanding results of pharmacological applications to be nominated (consisting 2012 (http://icnpr2012.org). The awarded and/or clinical research in the field of of up to three relevant scientific publica - scientific results shall be presented during herbal medicinal products. The award is tions on a specific topic which have been the congress. endowed with 10,000 € by the endowing published during the last three years, the sponsor Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH, CV(s) and the list(s) of publications) must Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Blaschek, Karls ruhe (Germany). be submitted to the president of GA – GA President, November 2011 The aim of the award is to motivate prefer - Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural entially young scientists (normally 40 years Product Research, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang or younger) to resolve phytotherapeutical Blaschek, Kiel, Germany, in electronic Documents to be sent to: and phytopharmaceutical problems in an form (as CD-Rs in five copies) until April interdisciplinary approach, in order to sup - 04. 2012. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Blaschek, GA President, Phar - maceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Univer - port the evidence-based use of natural The Dr. Willmar Schwabe Award will be sity of Kiel, Gutenbergstraße 76, 24118 Kiel, Ger - products. bestowed during the 60th International many. [email protected].

3 Some Data from the Membership Data Base New GA members

The society can announce 57 new mem - Harput, Ummuhan, Turkey; Hudaverdi, Puja, India; Rethage Rodrigues, Janine, bers since June 2011. The Society wel - Mehmet S., Turkey; Haznedaraoglu, Zeki, Switzerland; Santos, Vagner, Brazil; Ruch, comes you all warmly and wishes that GA Turkey; Heritani, Triana, Indonesia; Ho Sandra, Germany; Rudolph, Ines, Ger - may get a platform for many scientific and Huynh, Thuy Duong, Vietnam; Hussein, many, Salim, Fatimah, Malaysia; Ade- personal contacts. We are looking forward Sameh, Reda, Egypt; Ivanescu, Bianca, ronke, Samuel, Nigeria; Sarshar, Shab - to your active participation in many GA Romania; Kaminski, Marian, Poland; Kir - nam, Iran; Schripsema, Jan, Brazil; Ter - events! All the best for you all! mizibekmez, Hasan, Turkey; Koptina, mentzi, Aikaterini, Greece; Timmermann, Anna, Russia; Kounadi, Tamatina, Greece; Barbara, USA; van Vuuren, Sandy, South A Hadi, A. Hamid, Malaysia; Ab. Ghani, Kwak, Jong Hwan, Korea; Labun, Pavol, Africa; Van Zyl, Robyn, South Africa; Nurunajah, Malysia; Ag Nuddin, Julenah, Slovakia; Lakic, Neda, Serbia; Laqua, Waldbauer, Katharina, Austria; Wan Malaysia; Alias, Asmah, Malysia; Arújo Katja, Germany; Lemonakis, Nikolaos, Mohd Zain, Wan Zuraida, Malaysia; Ramalho, Suare, Brazil; Aryal, Bal Kumar, Greece; Li, Chuan, China; Mamadalieva, Williams, Sarah, United Kingdom; Wine- Nepal; Aytac, Zehra, Turkey; Biola Messi, Nilufar, Uzbekistan; Mexia, Nikita, Greece; kenstädde, Daniel, Austria; Yang, Meihua, Bernadette, Cameroon; Brand, Kirsten, Mirmazloum, Iman, Hungary; Moradi, China. United Kingdom; Cankaya, Iffet Irem, Tur - Parviz, United Kingdom, Müller, Diana, key; Derksen, Andrea, Germany; Elu - Germany; Müller, Margit, Germany; Dr. B. Benedek (GA secretary), siyan, Christianah, Nigeria; Gabl, Micha - Phoolcharoen, Waranyoo, Thailand; A. Hensel ela, Austria; Gurbuz, Perihan, Turkey; Radanova, Lilyana, Germany; Ravikumar,

Egon Stahl Award in Gold for Prof. Dr. Otto Sticher

The Egon Stahl-Award in Gold is the high - plant-systematic indicators, plant and in - est scientific honour of the Society for sect repellents, as well as colourants, lead Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Re - compounds and synthons. search (GA). It was founded in 1999 and A review of the 13 C NMR spectroscopy of can be awarded every third year. The Egon iridoid glucosides in 1980 was among the Stahl-Award in Gold acknowledges the one hundred most-cited papers in the field outstanding scientific lifetime work of a re - of chemistry in the years 1980 –1982. search scientist who has been closely at - After entering the field of iridoid phyto - tached to Pharmaceutical Biology (Phar - chemistry, Otto Sticher’s academic career macognosy, Chemistry of Natural Prod - was unstoppable. In 1972, he was named ucts), in its whole range, through his/her Associate Professor for Pharmacognosy at scientific work. The Egon Stahl-Prize in the ETH, and in 1979 Full Professor for Gold is endowed with 5.000 €, a donation Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, The from GA. The donation was made with the „Sticher“ era (or even generation, one intention of furthering scientific aims de - could say) in pharmacy at the ETH-Zurich serving aid. began. It is a pleasure and honor for GA to The groups of natural substances on announce the fifth laureate of the ESA which Otto Sticher has worked are numer - Gold: this outstanding personality with ex - ous. They include the previously men - ceptional scientific achievements in the tioned iridoids, the most diverse terpene field of medicinal plants as well as of his derivatives, phenolic substances such as national and international importance in flavonoids, lignans, phenylpropanoids, the field of Pharmacognosy, Pharmaceuti - salicin derivatives, coumarins, anthra - cal Biology and Pharmacy is Prof. Dr. Otto noids, various alkaloid groups (-glutamyl He was interested in ethnopharmacology- STICHER. peptide and derivatives and several cyclic based drug discovery and undertook sev - peptides). eral collection trips, always in the company Prof. Sticher studied pharmacy at the ETH During his career, Otto Sticher understood of his wife Miriam, to remote parts of the Zurich, made his PhD study in pharmacog - the value of bringing experts in various world. nosy 1965 with the then Professor of Phar - areas from all over the world to his institute In the second half of his research activity, macognosy, Hans Flück. and integrating them into his working Otto Sticher – like many phytochemists – 1970 the habilitation in that field at the ETH group – a situation which was to the ad - focused more and more on testing the followed. Dr. Sticher discovered a new vantage of all parties involved. Simply biological activity of his isolates. topic: iridoids, which were originally found stated: The ETH Zurich has become a One of the first papers from Otto Sticher’s in insects and were now gaining increasing Mecca of phytochemistry. lab on biological activity demonstrated the attention as herbal monoterpenes. Of major significance were the method - influence of furocoumarins on prolactin re - The papers made Otto Sticher one of the ological papers, which were published on lease from hypophysis cells. There were leading experts worldwide in the phyto - the basis of the named substance groups. other papers on antiproliferative alkaloids, chemistry of iridoids and laid the founda - In this way, HPLC methods for the separa - on the anti-malarial activity of terpenes tion for his international reputation, since tion of natural products were published from coral, on the sweet-tasting diter - iridoids were studied all over the world as very early on – the Sticher´s lab was a penes and on the antiphlogistic haem de - active substances, marker substances, leader in this area for several years. composition products, to mention only a

4 few. Towards the end of his research activ - The second GA conference took place a in many different grounds. His research ity at the ETH-Zurich, Sticher was inter - few years before his retirement, in 2000, was always ahead of his time and his re - ested in natural substances that bind to again in Zurich. search lab was one of the best-equipped key enzymes or factors responsible for His activities and commitment to pharma - and organized ones worldwide. He was in - gene regulation, such as cytokines and cognosy and phytochemistry have been volved with pharmacy for 45 years, trained transcription factors, thereby influence acknowledged with honorary member - numerous PhD students, post-docs and gene expression. ships (including GA honorary membership senior researchers, may of whom are now Overall Prof. Sticher has published almost since 2002) and medals of merit, as well as following the way he previous paved and 400 publications in those areas in highly honourable appointments to numerous led. His scientific accomplishments have respected journals, including Planta Med - pharmacopeia and food-code commis - been well recognized worldwide, so GA ica. Given this level of competence, it is in - sions in Switzerland, Europe and the USA. believes there is no doubt that he deserves evitable that he is invited to conferences, Otto Sticher was also a great teacher and an Egon Stahl Medal in Gold for his seminars and lectures worldwide. lecturer. In the 1990s, he received the achievements and contributions in natural Otto Sticher was entrusted with numerous teaching prize in the Department of Phar - product research. honorary posts and tasks within the scien - macy at the ETH for his “outstanding The Gold medal (ESA GOLD) and a docu - tific community. teaching” as a lecturer. ment which is read: The Society for Medi- Between 1975 –1996, Sticher was member When talking about Otto Sticher as lec - cinal Plant and Natural Product Research of the GA Board (BoD). He served as Pres - turer, we cannot omit his collaboration on (Gesellschaft für Arzneipflanzen- und ident (1978 –1984) and the vice-president one of the best text books in the field of Naturstoffforschung) has pleasure in dedi - (1984 –1988) of the GA. pharmacognosy: Pharmakognosie-Phy - cating the Egon Stahl-Award 2011 with a He organized two annual GA meetings in topharmazie (Pharmacognosy-Phytophar - gold medal to Prof. Dr. Otto Sticher in Zurich. At 40, Otto Sticher was the macy). Sticher has been involved in the 6th recognition of his outstanding contributions youngest conference president when he edition of this book (Hänsel, Sticher, in the area of medicinal plant research and opened the 25th annual conference of the Steinegger) in 1999 and in 2010 published natural product analysis, and to pharma - GA in 1977. At the conference, he was the 9 th edition (Hänsel, Sticher). ceutical biology as an academic discipline, named President of the society, thus be - In summary, Prof. Sticher is one of the were handed over by the GA president. coming the youngest President in the most successful natural product chemists nearly 60-year history of our society. who contributed to this field in many areas Brigitte Kopp and Deniz Tasdemir

Bionorica Phytoneering Award 2011 for Prof. Dr. Veronika Butterweck

According to stated objectives, the Bionor - Dr. Veronika Butterweck is Associate Pro - Expert Committee “Dietary Supplements/ ica Phytoneering Award acknowledges fessor at the Department of Pharmaceutics Botanicals” of the United States Pharma - outstanding research in the field of devel - at the University of Florida, College of copoeia (USP) from 2005 –2010. opment and application of herbal medici - Pharmacy in Gainesville. She received her Her research focuses on the development nal products. The aim of the award is to PhD (1997) in Pharmacy from the Univer - of new therapeutic concepts based on motivate scientists to perform research sity of Münster, Germany. Dr. Butterweck herbal medicines. In particular her labora - also in the area of pharmacodynamics and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National tory has emphasized herbal medicines for pharmacokinetics of herbal medicinal Institutes of Mental Health, Bethesda, the treatment of anxiety, depression and products and their active principles. Maryland, in 1999 and 2001. She received diabetes. In addition, Dr. Butterweck’s re - During the Annual GA meeting in Antalya, the Habilitation for Pharmacology in 2003 search also emphasises the pharmacoki - Turkey, September 4 –8th 2011, it was the from the University of Münster and since netics of natural products. second time that the Bionorica Phytoneer - then joins the University of Florida, College GA congratulates her on her award and ing Award was bestowed and GA is thank - of Pharmacy in Gainesville, Florida, as a wishes her the best of luck for the future. ful to Prof. Dr. Michael Popp, Bionorica, as faculty member. Dr. Butterweck is Editor endowing sponsor. The award is donated of Planta Medica and was a member of the Brigitte Kopp, GA president with 10.000 €. This year, the award was given to Prof. Dr. Veronika Butterweck for her outstanding research and contributions on the pharma - cokinetics of flavonoids in general and the pharmacological activities of their metabo - lites in particular. Her data have led to the development of the hypothesis that flavonoids are prodrugs which must un - dergo metabolic conversion before be - coming an active pharmacological agent. Recent findings from Dr. Butterweck’s group suggest that both, kaempferol and quercetin, may exert aspects of their anxi - olytic activity by bioactivation to para- hydroxyphenylacetic acid derivatives in the intestine. The Bionorica Phytoneering Award Committee considered this area of research as a frontier and ultimate key which will significantly add to the knowl - edge regarding possible in vivo activity of flavonoid metabolites.

5 Laudatio of the GA president on occasion of handing over the Dr. Willmar Schwabe Research Scholarship for Young Scientists to Marija Lesjak

Brigitte Kopp, GA president

The aim of the Dr. Willmar Schwabe Re - Marija Lesjak got her Master of Science in search Scholarship for Young Scientists is Chemistry / Biochemistry at the Depart - to support research of young scientists, ment of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Envi - especially from developing countries in ronmental Protection at the University of leading research institutions. Novi Sad, Serbia. Since 2008 she is PhD Projects focusing on pharmacological or student of Biochemistry at the same de - clinical research of phytopharmaceuticals partment. She works on the chemical and their active substances are particularly characterization and biological activities of welcome. The award is exclusively used secondary metabolites from plants and for travelling and living costs of the their interaction with xenobiotics. She has awardee and not for consumables. A dura - 3 publications and 23 presentations at var - tion of at least 6 months is mandatory. The ious congresses. scholarship is endowed with 10.000 €. GA Marija wants to go to Prof. Srai and Prof. is thankful to Schwabe company as en - Waksman, Institute of Structural and Mo - dowing sponsor and I am glad to an - lecular Biology at the University College nounce that this scholarship will also be London with investigations on the effect of awarded next year 2012. polyphenols on iron homeostasis in terms Excellent young scientists have sent their of iron transport and regulatory protein ex - application to the scientific committee of pression levels and iron absorption kinet - the GA. Therefore, it was a difficult, but fi - ics. The experience of the hosting institu - nally an unanimous decision of the experts tion fits very well for the project. From this and the ExC: the student who has been scholarship GA and Schwabe company selected for the Willmar Schwabe Re - expect achievement motivation for young search Scholarship for young scientists researchers in the field of medicinal plant Prof Kopp and Dr. Meng together with Dr. 2011 is Marija Lesjak. and natural product research. Marija Lesjak

Award of the Young Researcher Workshop on occasion of the 2011 meeting in Antalya

The following GA members, participating in the Young Researcher Workshop in Antalya with the best oral presentations were selected for the awards, sponsored by Bionorica AG, Germany :

JOHANNES KÖHBACH CHANDRIKA NIRANJALA NANAYAKKARA NIKOLAOS LEMONAKIS WASAM MASACHCHIGE NIKITIA MEXIA ANJA SCHRAMM JOHANNA MICHL GA congratulates!

Poster awards during the GA conference 2011 in Antalya

Best poster presentations were selected cially important Agathosma species (Ru - Kamal M, Clements C, Gray AI, Edrada- during the 2011 meeting for the following taceae). Ebel R: Discovery of bioactive metabolites scientific results: from the leaves of Vitex pinnata using high- Beniddir M, Litaudon M, Rasoanaivo P, throughput flash chromatography. Sandasi M, Kamatou GP, Baranska M, and Grellier P, and Guéritte F: From structural Viljoen, A: Application of vibrational studies of natural products to the discov - GA congratulates! spectroscopy in the quality assessment ery of a selective antiplasmodial derivative: of Buchu oil obtained from two commer - A serendipidity study.

6 Travel grant winner for GA conference 2011 in Antalya

GA was able to sponsor several travel GA travel grant committee on a competi - Susanne Kuehnl, Austria (600 €) grants for graduate students and post- tive basis from among the accepted ab - Johannes Koehbach, Austria (600 €) doctoral fellows to attend the annual meet - stracts. The GA-congratulates the follow - Theophine Okoye, Nigeria (1700 €) ing in Antalya in September 2011. The GA ing recipients: Che Puteh Osman, Malaysia (1700 €) travel grant committee 2011 consisted of Judith Rollinger, Hebba Abdel Aziz and Postdoctoral Fellow Level (for Young Veronika Butterweck. The committee has PhD Student Level: Researchers from developing coun - received a total of 14 student applications tries): and 6 submissions from postdoctoral fel - Anja Schramm, Switzerland (600 €) lows from developing countries. Finally, 9 Evelien Rozema, Austria (600 €) Yanti, Indonesia (1700 €) travel grants have been awarded by the Bettina Schwanck, Germany (600 €) Hoda Eid, Egypt (1700 €)

CESAR Award to Thomas Efferth

Prof. Dr. Thomas Efferth was awarded with Central European Society for Anticancer on the CESAR Annual Meeting in Greifs- the CESAR Award for Translational Cancer Research. The award ceremony took place wald. Research on June 17 th 2011. CESAR is the GA congratulates!

Obituary, In memoriam Prof. Dr. Meinhart H. Zenk

On July 5 th 2011 Professor Meinhart Hans tion in the international scientific commu - Zenk, a world-renowned plant biochemist, nity. plant physiologist, pharmacognosist and In the early sixties of the past century it phytochemist passed away in St. Louis, was believed that secondary natural com - USA, at the age of 78 years. He was born pounds are waste products which plants on February 04, 1933, in the Bavarian town dispose of in vacuoles, a view strongly op - of Donauwörth. His father was a teacher. posed by Meinhart Zenk. The following The second world war had a severe impact years witnessed increasing evidence in fa - on the Zenk family as neither father nor vor of his opinion and for an ecological brother survived. function of natural products. In his re - Meinhart Zenk started his scientific cur - search he often employed plant cell sus - riculum as a student of biology at the Lud - pension cultures to tackle unresolved wig Maximilians University in Munich. His questions of plant metabolism. Without academic teachers were the botanists these experimental systems the investiga - Hermann Merxmüller, Otto Kandler and tion of indole and isoquinoline alkaloid the biochemist and Nobel laureate Feodor biosynthesis and the identification of the Lynen. These scientists offered orientation respective enzymes would not have been and were an example to him throughout possible. The most intriguing question that He was honored by election to learned so - the early years of his career. The time he Meinhart Zenk left us is how it is possible cieties in several countries, decorated with spent in the laboratory of Carl Leopold at that both plants and mammals are able to highly prestigious medals of scientific and Purdue University in West Lafayette, USA, synthesize morphine, where, why and un - non-scientific institutions, and honorary set him on course to a career in plant der which circumstances morphine is pro - doctorates from three continents. physiology and plant biochemistry. In the duced and what role it plays in the human Meinhart Zenk was an outstanding scien - early sixties Leo Brauner, who was head of physiology. tist and an eminent personality. His work the Botanical Institute in Munich, paved adds splendour to plant science and phar - the way for Meinhart Zenk in helping him to Meinhart Zenk was strongly convinced of macy. establish a radioisotope laboratory in the Humboldt’s principle of the unity of teach - His remains are buried on the old German attic of his institute. ing and research. Working in his group cemetery in Augusta in the vicinity of St The research of Meinhart Zenk took place was a challenge. However, he never hesi - Louis, Missouri, USA. Our thoughts are at the interface between chemistry, phar - tated to acknowledge a successfully com - with his wife Toni Kutchan and his daugh - macy, plant physiology, biochemistry and pleted piece of work. Whenever he was ters Annabelle and Isabelle. ecology. In this interdisciplenary field he convinced that one of his associates met often raised questions from a biologist’s with the high scientific standards set by Prof. Birgit Draeger, Halle/Saale, Germany point of view. In addition, he mastered a him he did not hesitate to support her or Prof. Eckhard Leistner, Bonn, Germany broad range of biochemical, molecular bi - his career. Several of his former PhD stu - ological, immunological and chemical dents now hold chairs in pharmacy, plant techniques which won him much admira - biochemistry and plant physiology.

7 Retirement of Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Stahl-Biskup

With the end of winter term 2012 Prof. Dr. Research topics over her scientific career Elisabeth Stahl-Biskup will retire from her had been essential oils from higher plants, position at the Institute of Pharmacy, De - cumarins, chemotaxonomy, antimicrobial partment of Pharmaceutical Biology and activity of essential oils, as well as mani - Microbiology of the University of Hamburg. fold aspects of analytics and standardiza - She is a long-standing member of GA, al - tion of herbal materials. ways active in many duties behind the She published about 70 papers, con - stage of GA, but always providing perfect tributed to several books and established service and activities to our society. The 28 monographs on medicinal plants. Two most commendable service was the edi - of her books are steadily used for teaching tion of the GA-Newsletter over 10 years. pharmacy students. As an editor and au - Elisabeth Stahl-Biskup studied pharmacy thor of the commentaries on herbal drug at University of Freiburg (Germany) and monographs in the German and European got her PhD in 1975 for her studies on the Pharmacopoeia she received high merits essential oil from Pastinaca sativa at the for the pharmacopoeial quality control. University of Hamburg. There she finished GA thanks for all activities and help in our her habilitation in 1982 dealing with the es - society, and wishes good health and a sentials oil from several Thymus species in wonderful time without any academic du - Northern Europe. Afterwards she was of - ties! All the best! fered a chair and in 1984 she took up a professorship at the Department of Phar - Andreas Hensel maceutical Biology in Hamburg.

Minutes of the GA Members Meeting 2011

The Members Meeting took place during ings of the Board of Directors of thanked the NL Editor A. Hensel the annual congress in Antalya on 6 Sept. GA (January 2011 in Vienna and for his work. 2011 from 6.00 to 8.10 p.m. 124 GA mem - September 2011 in Antalya). • The following meetings co-or - bers attended the meeting. • The following awards have been ganised by GA took place in bestowed this year: Bionorica 2011: 10 th Annual Oxford Inter - 1. Approval of the Agenda Phytoneering Award (V. Butter - national Conference on the Sci - President Prof. B. Kopp welcomed all weck), Egon Stahl-Award in Gold ence of Botanicals (Oxford, Mis - participants. A. Marston requested to (O. Sticher), Dr. Willmar Schwa - sissippi, USA), HPTLC Sympo - add the discussion of the abstract book be Research Scholarship for sium 2011 (Basel, Switzerland) for annual congresses to the agenda. B. Young Scientists (M. Lesjak). and The XV International Con - Kopp requested to add the modification The Egon Stahl-Award in Silver gress “PHYTOPHARM 2011” of the GA bylaws to the agenda. Except has not been bestowed this year (Nuremberg, Germany). for these requests, the agenda, pub - because of only one application • B. Kopp thanked the GA Web - lished in the GA Newsletter 1-2011, was that did not meet the criteria. B. master C. Wawrosch and his as - unanimously approved. Kopp was responsible for the co - sistant A. Wöber for their work. ordination of the respective 2. Approval of the Minutes of the Mem - award juries. 3.2. Reports of the Vice-Presidents bers Meeting • A foundation called “Plants for 3.2.1. Report of Vice-President Health” will be created by GA. Prof. M. Hamburger The minutes of the previous Members For further details please see the • He participated in the PharmSci - Meeting on 31 Aug. 2010 in Berlin, pub - report of the Treasurer (3.4.). Fair meeting in Prague and was lished in the GA Newsletter 2-2010, • The BoD decided a Travel Grant chair of the GA session. were unanimously approved. budget for 2012 of 15.000 EUR • He was head of the organisation because of the expected high committee of the HPTLC-Meet - 3. Annual reports travel costs to the Joint Meeting ing in Basel that took place from 3.1. Report of the President Prof. B. in New York. 6-8 July in Basel. The meeting Kopp • The report of the cash auditors was quite successful with 350 • Honorary Member Dr. H.-G. Prof. H. Schilcher and Prof. E. participants from 40 countries. Menßen has died at the age of Stahl-Biskup was very positive. One session was dedicated to 84 this year. An obituary was B. Kopp thanked the Treasurer the analysis of natural products. published in the GA Newsletter. B. Roether and his assistant Ms. • He was involved in the organisa - Dr. Meinhard Zenk who has been Lahse for their excellent work. tion of the scientific programme a GA member from 1974 to 2009 • A comment to the HMPC mono - for the Joint meeting in New York also passed away this year. All graph draft on Chelidonium was 2012. participants stood up for one written by O. Kelber and A. • He has established the contact minute of silent commemoration. Nahrstedt and was sent to EMA with Dr. Anna Jäger who will or - • She organised two meetings of by the Secretary B. Benedek in ganise the Joint Meeting Copen - the Executive Council of GA the name of GA. hagen 2016. (December 2010 and July 2011, • The last GA Newsletter was cir - both in Vienna) and two meet - culated in July 2011. B. Kopp

8 3.3 Report of Vice-President Prof. W. bership in 2012. Currently 848 not be increased. For corporate Blaschek members pay the regular fee of members the fees shall be in - • He participated in the sympo - 40 EUR, 596 members pay the creased from 250 EUR to 400 sium “Phytopharmaka – erfüll - reduced fee of 20 EUR. GA cur - EUR. The increase of member - bare Erwartungen” dedicated to rently has 36 company mem - ship fees was unanimousy ap - Prof. Winterhoff (†) on 7 Oct. bers. 2 of them have cancelled proved by the assembly, there 2010 in Münster, Germany, as their membership this year. More were no abstentions. representative of GA. company members shall be ac - • Planta Medica online subscrip - • He attended the meetings quired in the future. 20 members tions: In 2011 there were 41 sub - “Zukunft Phytotherapie” in Octo - are freed from membership fees. scriptions to PM online with ac - ber 2010 in Hamburg and in 11 thereof are Honorary Mem - cess back to 1998 and 33 sub - August 2011 in Bonn. bers, for 9 members the fees scriptions with access back to • He was in contact with a lawyer have been waived due to more 1953. regarding the trademark rights of than 40 years of GA member - • GA Foundation: A foundation GA. In general, the trademark ship. called “Plants for Health” shall has a validity period of 2×5 be established by GA. The pur - years, provided that the use of 3.4 Report of the Treasurer Dr. B. poses of this foundation are to the trademark can be proven. Roether and the Auditors Prof. E. support scientific studies in the The respective documents have Stahl-Biskup and Prof. H. Schil- area of medicinal plant and natu - been submitted so that the cher ral products research, especially trademark rights are protected Dr. Roether presented the current innovative, multi-disciplinary pro - for the period 2012 to 2017 in financial situation of GA: jects that strengthen the interna - Germany. The ExC decided that • The credits of GA currently tional standing of medicinal plant the protection of trademark amount to 115,185 EUR (funds and natural products research. rights on a European level is not value: 56,530 EUR, cash: 58,655 This shall be achieved by initia - necessary, mainly due to finan - EUR). 15,000 EUR thereof have tion of scientific co-operations cial reasons. recently been invested in the and networking projects, initial • He attended a meeting of the or - HVB 2.75% Euribor Cap Floater funding of innovative projects ganisers of the ÖGPhyt-Kon - (100% return guaranteed, 3- and start-up funding for excel - gress in 2012. monthly dividend payout, based lent, young scientists. The time • He participated in the Oxford on current EURIBOR). to save-up money by fundraising Meeting and gave a lecture • The credits of the Egon-Stahl- shall be about 2 years. The sup - • He was a member of the organ - Fund currently amount to 54,615 port of projects will derive from ising committee of Phytopharm EUR (funds value: 50,000 EUR, revenues of the assets of the 2011 in Nuremberg. He gave a cash: 2,615 EUR). foundation. The Board of Direc - welcome address from GA dur - • The total revenues in 2011 were tors will consist of 3 members ing the opening ceremony. The 52,545 EUR (status 07/2011), the who act as managing directors. next meeting will take place in total expenses 19,334 EUR. One of them will be the chairper - St. Petersburg next year. Thus, the balance for 2011 (total son, one a vice-chairperson. The • He is a member of the organising revenues minus total expenses) Board members will be nomi - committee of the Mistletoe Sym - is 33,212 EUR (07/2011). nated by the ExC and will be posium in Nonnweiler in Nov. • Insolvency of CTW (congress or - published in the next newsletter. 2011. He will give a welcome ad - ganising company 2010 Berlin): The duties of the Board are ad - dress from GA during the open - The Treasurer received the final ministration of the assets, alloca - ing ceremony. accounting of the annual confer - tion of available funds with the • He is involved in the organisation ence 2010 in Berlin in February aim to increase the assets of the of the Joint Meeting in New York 2011 from Profs. Melzig/Kolod- foundation and compilation of a 2012. zjej. CTW announced its insol - duly annual statement and a bal - vency before transferring the ance sheet. The Board is sup - 3.3 Report of the Secretary Dr. B. surplus. The official announce - ported by the GA Treasurer with Benedek ment of insolvency was pub - all regards to bookkeeping. The • She has been in close contact lished by the local court on 6 establishment of the foundation with the organisers of the con - June 2011. Until end of Septem - “Plants for Health” was unani - gress in Turkey during the prepa - ber 2011 claims can be raised. In mousy approved by the assem - ration of the congress. the name of GA the Treasurer in - bly, there were no abstentions. • She has prepared the elections volved a spezialized lawyer. The • Prof. E. Stahl-Biskup presented that will take place later on dur - insolvency practitioner received the Report of the Auditors: Prof. ing the Members Meeting. GA’s claim and will calculate a H. Schilcher and herself inde - • She has arranged the prizes for quota. pendently assessed the annual the poster awards that will be • Due to future financial chal - cash report 2010. Their reports given during the Closing Cere - lenges of GA an increase in the were very positive, no irregulari - mony. membership fees is necessary ties have been found. • She was a member of the Jury (e.g. financial support of young for the Egon-Stahl-Award in scientists, sponsoring of scien - 3.5 Discharge of the Executive Council Gold. tific congresses, purchase of an Based on the Report of the Audi - • She has created a Facebook abstract review software for an - tors Prof. E. Stahl-Biskup asked for page for GA that currently has nual congresses, PR activities, the discharge of the Treasurer and 138 fans. Everybody is invited to compensation of inflation rate, the whole ExC which was ac - join GA on Facebook. building-up of a sound and fis - cepted unanimously by the whole • She presented the members sta - cally acceptable buffer). The fee assembly. tistics: GA currently has 1500 ac - for regular members shall be in - tive members (plus 82 compared creased from 40 EUR to 60 EUR, 4. Modification of the GA Bylaws to 08/2010). 29 new members the reduced fees for student § 9 (3) of the GA bylaws shall be modi - have joined GA during the con - members and members from fied in order to achieve more flexibility gress. They will start their mem - certain countries (20 EUR) shall in the ExC as follows:

9 (3) The Executive Council consists of 5. Report of the Editor-in-Chief of 6.3 Report of the PC “Manufacturing five members as follows: Planta Medica Prof. L. Pieters and Quality Control of HMPs” • the President, • B. Kopp thanked L. Pieters and the C. Erdelmeier will remain chair of • two representatives of the President review editor M. Hamburger for their the PC. (Vice-Presidents), work. L. Pieters presented new facts • the financial officer (Treasurer), and and figures related to Planta Medica: 6.4 Report of the PC “Regulatory Af - • the keeper of the records (Secretary). • The rejection rate (published versus fairs of HMPs” The President, his two representatives, submitted manuscripts) in 2010 was A. Vlietinck will remain chair of the the Secretary, and the Treasurer shall 76%. PC until end of 2012, S. Alban will be entered into the Public Register of • The different types of publications in - remain co-chair of the PC. Societies, each possessing the sole clude full papers, letters, reviews, power of representation. The President rapid communications and perspec - 6.5 Report of the Young Re - or one of his representatives or the tives. searchers Workshop Secretary, as well as the Treasurer, • With respect to the number of sub - The committee of the YRW con - must be residents of the Federal Re - mitted manuscripts the leading coun - sists of A.-R. Bilia, A. Hensel, T. Ef - public of Germany. try is China followed by USA, Ger - ferth, J. Rollinger, D. Tasdemir and The modification of the bylaws was many, Korea and Taiwan. J.-L. Wolfender. In 2012 there will unanimously approved by the assem - • Most manuscripts have been pub - be no YRW. bly. lished within the section “Biological and Pharmacological Activity” and 7. Election of the Board of Directors Due to the establishment of the founda - “Natural Product Chemistry”. Prof. Stahl-Biskup acts as supervisor of tion “Plants for Health” § 1 and § 3 of • Two special issues have been pub - elections. 121 votes cast (including 5 the GA bylaws have to be modified as lished in 2010: “Cancer Therapy with company authorisations) were col - follows: Natural Products” (editor: Efferth) lected. She presented the final results § 1 – Name, Location and Purpose of and a special issue on TCM (editors: of the elections to the ExC after the the Society Bauer, Chan). Two special issues Members Meeting. The Society for Medicinal Plant Re - have been published in 2011: “Tropi - search has its headquarters in Bad cal diseases” (editor: Leclercq and 7.1 Election of the President Camberg, Germany, and, as a non- Bero) and “Selected contributions W. Blaschek: 115 affirmative votes. profit organization, conducts numerous from the GA Congress 2010 in Berlin” activities in compliance with Section (editor: Kolodziej). 7.2 Election of the two Vice-Presi - „Steuerbegünstigte Zwecke“ („Tax Ex - • The impact factor in 2010 was 2.369 dents emption“) of the German „Abgaben - compared to 2.037 the year before. B. Kopp: 108 affirmative votes, M. verordnung“.The purpose of the Society The impact factor of Planta Medica is Hamburger: 102 affirmative votes. is the advancement of research and sci - slightly lower than that of Journal of ence in the field of medicinal plants. Ethnopharmacology (2.466) and Phy - 7.3 Election of the Treasurer Specifically, this purpose is achieved by tomedicine (2.662), but higher than B. Roether: 119 affirmative votes. • the organization of scientific meet - that of Journal of Pharmacy and ings, Pharmacology (1.918) and Fitoterapia 7.4 Election of the Secretary • the financial support of research (1.899). B. Benedek: 119 affirmative votes. work, • PM is ranked in 3 categories in the ISI • support of the scientific journal database: In Plant Sciences PM has 7.5 Election of the Advisory Board „Planta Medica: Natural Products and now reached Q1 status, in Medicinal Regular Positions: Medicinal Plant Research“, Chemistry and Pharmacology & V. Butterweck: 74 affirmative votes, • cooperation with and founding of Pharmacy it is ranked in Q2. R. Bauer: 63 affirmative votes; associations and bodies with simi - • The 5 year period of the current Edi - D. Tasdemir: 62 affirmative votes, lar goals, torial Board will end in 2011. The Edi- A.R. Bilia: 56 affirmative votes, • the scientific counselling of public in - torial Board has been recomposed J. Rollinger: 52 affirmative votes, stitutions, and for the next 5 years. K.H.C. Baser: 46 affirmative votes; • other measures serving the purposes • Two new features have been imple - Junior Positions: of the Society. mented: a Planta Medica Newsletter J. Gertsch: 53 affirmative votes, The Society for Medicinal Plant Re - and the plagiarism detection soft - N. Fokialakis: 49 affirmative votes search is international in scope. ware “Crosscheck”. 8. Future Congresses, Symposia and § 3 – Resources of the Society 6. Reports of the Permanent Commit - Workshops The resources of the Society shall be tees used only for the purposes of the Soci - During the Joint Meeting in New York 8.1 Annual GA Congresses ety as established in the Bylaws. No re - 2012 there will be no Workshops of the • 2012: New York, USA, 28 July – sources of the Society are to be do - Permanent Committees. 1 Aug. (Joint Meeting of ASP, nated to members. AFERP, GA, PSE and SIF). The Also, the Society may use its funds to 6.1 Report of the PC “Biological and meeting will be organised by financially or in other ways support Pharmacological Activity of Nat - ASP (new president: B. Timmer - other charitable bodies, organisa - ural Products” mann). tions and foundations provided that V. Butterweck will remain chair of • 2013: Münster, Germany, 1 –6 these entities have a charitable sta - the PC, G. Vollmer (TU Dresden) Sept. (organisers: Profs. A. tus [based on German laws] and that will be the new co-chair of the PC Hensel, Th. Schmidt) they support activities according to § starting with 01/2012. • 2014: Minho-Braga, Portugal, 31 1. Specifically it may use its funds to Aug. –5 Sept. (organiser: Prof. A. establish a charitable foundation 6.2 Report of the PC “Breeding and Diaz, Joint Meeting with AFERP) known under the name of ‘’Plants for Cultivation of Medicinal Plants” • 2015: Budapest, Hungary (or - Health’’. C. Franz will retire as chair of the ganiser: Prof. J. Homann) PC. O. Kayser (TU Dortmund) will • 2016: Copenhagen, Denmark The modification of § 1 and § 3 of the be the new chair, I. Göhler (Biono - (Joint Meeting of ASP, AFERP, bylaws was unanimously approved by rica) his co-chair starting with GA, PSE and SIF, organised by the assembly. 01/2012. GA, organiser: Prof. A. Jäger)

10 • 2017: Basel, Switzerland (organ - • Joint Congress of ÖGPhyt, GPT, 9. Miscellaneous iser: M. Hamburger) SMGP and GA on the occasion Upon request from A. Marston the pub - • 2018: Beijing/Shanghai, China of the 20 th anniversary of ÖG - lishing of abstracts in Planta Medica (organiser: D. Guo) Phyt, 17 –19 May 2012, Vienna, was put on the agenda. A quite high • 2019: Poznan, Poland ? Austria (“Phytotherapeutika 2012 number of posters have not been pre - – Wissensfortschritt im 21. sented during the congress, although 8.2 Future Congresses and Work - Jahrhundert”) the corresponding abstracts have been shops • “5 th International Symposium published in Planta Medica. Possible • “6. Fachtagung Arznei- und Breeding Research on Medicinal reasons for this fact were debated, and Gewürzpflanzen”, 19 –22 Sept. and Aromatic Plants”, 18 –20 suggestions for future handling of the 2011, Berlin, Germany June 2012, Vienna, Austria abstract publication were made (e.g. • “Shanghai meeting”; 21 –23 Oc - • “Natural Anticancer Drugs”, 30 only electronic publication of abstracts). tober 2011, Shanghai, China June – 4 July 2012, Olomouc, The BoD will discuss this issue during • “Mistletoe in Tumor Therapy”, Czech Republic its next meeting and make a decision. 10 –12 Nov. 2011, Nonnweiler, • “13 th International Congress of Germany the Society of Ethnopharmacol - • “ICSB Oxford Meeting”, 16 –19 ogy”, 2 –6 Sept. 2012, Graz, Aus - April 2012, Oxford/Mississippi, tria USA • “Phytopharm 2012”, 9 –11 July • “8 th Brazilian Symposium of 2012, St. Petersburg, Russia Pharmacognosy and 1 st Interna - • “Shanghai meeting”; October Dr. Birgit Benedek tional Symposium of the Brazil - 2012, Shanghai, China GA Secretary ian Society of Pharmacognosy”, Neunkirchen a. Br., 22 Nov. 2011 Ilhéus-Bahia, Brazil, 18 –22 April 2012

Meetings of GA

Next Annual Meeting

Joint meeting ASP, GA, AFERP, PSE, SIF New York, July 28-Aug. 1, 2012

Phytochemical Society of Europe (PSE), and the Italian Society of Pharmacognosy (SIF). It will be at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City, July 28-Aug. 1, 2012. The local organizing committee is develop - ing the program that will include plenary lectures as well as parallel sessions by in - vited and contributing authors. Many of the parallel sessions will complement top - ics introduced by the plenary speakers. Among those topics will be: • Biodiversity • Ethnobotany R&D and to attend various workshops and dis - • Pharmaceutical Case Study-Concept to cussions, including a panel discussion on Clinic the “Future of Pharmacognosy.” • Biosynthetic Medicinal Chemistry Special acknowledgements will include a • Genome Mining celebration of the 75th anniversary of the • New Technologies “Journal of Natural Products” and a tribute • Natural Product Pharmacokinetics and to the late Norman R. Farnsworth. On Sun - Metabolism day evening, we will have a chance to so - • Natural Product Discovery cialize a bit at the New York Botanical Gar - • Natural Product Synthesis den. The conference and ASP business • Pharmacology meeting will come to a close on Wednes - • Chemistry Symbiosis day, following the traditional banquet. • Botanical Regulatory Issues Whatever your interest, you’ll find no Scientists from around the world will meet • Botanicals shortage of things to see and do in New in New York City next summer for the 2012 The parallel sessions will also include op - York City. World class cuisine, art muse - International Congress on Natural Prod - portunities for those in attendance to take ums and galleries, live theater and unique ucts Research (ICNPR). the podium and present their research shopping opportunities are just a few of The conference, “Global Change, Natural findings. Those wishing to present re - the attractions that will keep you busy dur - Products and Human Health,” is the eighth search posters may do so during sessions ing your free time. joint meeting of the American Society of scheduled throughout the conference. I look forward to seeing you at the 2012 Pharmacognosy (ASP), the Society for Attendees will have the opportunity to ICNPR for what I know will be an exciting Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Re - meet and hear presentations by the win - week of collaboration, inspiration, and search (GA), the Pharmacognosy Society ners of the Matt Suffness, Tyler Price, and discovery. For more information, visit the of French Speaking Persons (AFERP), the Farnsworth Research Achievement awards ICNPR website at www.icnpr2012.org.

11 Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research Gesellschaft für Arzneipflanzen und Naturstoff-Forschung

59 th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research

4–9 September 2011, Antalya, Turkey

59. Meeting of GA in Antalya, TURKEY

59 th International Congress and Annual call it as Metabolomics made simple. The tions in Nature with striking examples as Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant second impulse lecture entitled “Discovery well as new strategies using phylogeny and Natural Product Research (GA 2011) of Neuroactive Natural Products Using Be - and chemography enabling navigation chaired by Prof. Dr. K. Hüsnü Can Baser havioral Assays in Zebrafish” was pre - through chemical and biological space, was held on September 4 –9, 2011 in An - sented by Prof. A.D. Crawford (University and using bioinformatic tools for under - talya, Turkey as an activity of the Interna - of Leuven, Belgium) highlighted the au - standing lateral gene transfer for discover - tional Year of Chemistry. The congress thor’s own laboratory work in the isolation ing potential drug targets. Prof. Judith M. venue was the Maritim Pine Beach Resort of neuroactive natural products using be - Rollinger (University of Innsbruck, Austria) Hotel which has excellent conferencing fa - havioral assays in zebrafish larvae, partic - described strategies on the integration of cilities in Belek area. The congress was at - ularly in the area of epilepsy. The same day computational methods in pharmacognos - tended by 692 participants from 65 coun - the Workshop of Permanent Committee on tic workflows to discover promising bioac - tries in all continents. Twelve plenary and Regulatory Affairs of Herbal Medicinal tive compounds and disclose hidden infor - two keynote lectures were presented in Products (Chaired by A Vlietinck, S Alban) mation on affected pharmacological tar - plenary sessions. 73 short lectures were was also held with four lectures by invited gets in her lecture “Combination of Ethno - presented in three paralel sessions and speakers. The other three workshops were pharmacological Knowhow with Modern 745 posters were presented although 806 held on Wednesday in paralel halls. They in-silico Tools”. “Biological Activities of Es - posters were confirmed for the congress. were on Biological and Pharmacological sential Oils” was reviewed in the keynote The abstracts were published in a special Activities of Natural Products (Chaired by lecture of Prof. Gerhard Buchbauer (Uni - Congress issue of Planta Medica. Main V Butterweck with 4 invited speakers), versity of Vienna, Austria). Prof. Deniz Tas - topics of the congress were: New trends in Quality/Agriculture Joint Workshop (Chair - demir (University of London, UK) pre - pharmacognosy, Traditional and natural ed by C Franz, C Erdelmeier with 4 invited sented the results of her research team on medicines, Lead finding from nature, An - speakers) and Traditional Chinese Medi - the prophylaxis and chemotherapy of par - timicrobials – What’s next?, Endophytes – cine Workshop (Chaired by D Guo, R asitic and microbial diseases using various importance in pharmacognosy, Natural im - Bauer, G Franz with 5 invited speakers). plants, marine organisms and other mune enhancers, Nutraceuticals, cosme - In the opening ceremony, after welcome sources in her lecture “Infectious Diseases ceuticals, functional foods – prevention of remarks of Prof. Baser, the Congress and Natural Products. What is next?”. metabolic diseases, Essential oils – Analy - President, Prof. Brigitte Kopp, the GA “Natural Products Derived from Traditional sis, bioactivities, uses, therapeutical po - President, conducted the rest of the pro - Chinese Medicine as Novel Inhibitors of tential, Biotechnology and nanobiotech - gram. After the announcement of Travel the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in nology, Advances in the analysis of natural Grantees, several awards were distributed. Cancer Cells” was the title of the keynote products. Egon Stahl Award in Gold went to Prof. lecture of Prof. Thomas Efferth (Johannes Most of the participants stayed in the Con - Otto Sticher (Switzerland). Bionorica Phy - Gutenberg University, Germany). He re - gress hotel and this has enabled all the toneering Award was received by Prof. ported on recent achievements in natural participants to interact with each other Veronika Butterweck (University of Florida, products derived from medicinal plants throughout the congress. There were also USA) and finally Dr. Marija Lesjak (Univer - (e.g., dicentrine, camptothecin derivatives, several workshops at the congress along - sity of Novi Sad, Serbia) received the Dr. arsenuate, etc.) as novel inhibitors of mu - side the usual scientific programme. Willmar Schwabe Research Scholarship tated EGFR and EGFR signal transduction Young Researchers Workshop was held for Young Scientists. Each awardee pre - pathways in the prognosis of lung cancer, on September 4 in plenary and two paralel sented a short award lecture. glioblastoma, head and neck cancer. Prof. sessions entitled Rapid strategies for Plenary and keynote lectures covered a Veronika Butterweck elaborated on “the (phyto) Chemical Characterization of Natu - wide range of topics representing the re - Role of Pharmacokinetics in Natural Prod - ral Products chaired by JL Wolfender, J cent trends in the world of pharmacog - uct Research” with examples from best Rollinger, AR Bilia and Rapid Strategies to nosy. First plenary lecture entitled Natural selling botanicals such as artichoke, echi - Assess Bioactivity of Natural Products Products in Modern Life Science was nacea, mangosteen and valerian. The di - chaired by D Tasdemir, T Efferth, A Hensel. given by Prof. Lars Bohlin (Uppsala Univer - etary supplements market in USA was dis - 2 impulse lectures and 14 Papers were sity, Sweden). In the beginning of his lec - cussed by Prof. Ikhlas A. Khan (University presented in the programme. The impulse ture Prof. Bohlin announced the most re - of Mississippi, USA) in his treatise lectures were presented in the plenary cent demise of his mentor Prof. Finn Sand - “Overview of Dietary Supplements in session for all young researchers. The first berg and paid tribute to his achievements USA). He emphasized that the biggest impulse lecture was given by Prof. Y. Choi and contributions to pharmacognosy. He problem with botanical supplements in (Leiden University, The Netherlands) on then emphasized the multidisciplinary na - USA was misidentification of the source Metabolic Characterization of Plants Using ture of pharmacognosy and elaborated on material, adulteration with similar looking NMR-based Metabolomics. I would rather its role in solving intriguing scientific ques - species and contamination with extrane -

12 ous ingredients. Therefore, quality control Wedge (University of Mississippi, USA)’s Botanic Garden of Jordan. Each day a 4- of the raw materials was the most impor - lecture on Agrochemical Applications for page newspaper GA 2011 Daily News was tant concern. Prof. David Craik (University Medicinal and Aromatic Plants highlighted printed and distributed to the participants of Queensland, Australia) stepped into the the importance of mother nature in the dis - the following morning. All the issues can realm of cyclotides in his lecture entitled covery of new biopesticides, antifungal be found on www.ga0211.org website. “Discovery and Applications of Naturally and antimicrobial agents with examples At the Closing Ceremony, poster awards Occurring Cyclic Peptides”. We learned from his research group in human as well were presented to three awardees. Certifi - that these rare molecules were found in as veterinary applications. He devoted the cates of Appreciation were distributed to the plants of Violaceae, Rubiaceae and last part of his lecture on job creation for six Young Researchers whose presenta - Cucurbitaceae families and had a diverse young researchers. Endophytes were cov - tions were found the most interesting at range of biological activities including ered in the lecture “Metabolomics and the Young Researchers Workshops. Prof. uterotonic, anti-HIV, and insecticidal activ - Systems Biology Approaches for the In - Kopp presented the “GA Cube” to Prof. ities. Prof. Jürg Gertsch’s stimulating lec - vestigation of Endophytes – Plant Interac - Baser as a token of appreciation for the or - ture “Natural Immunomodulators – A Drug tion – A Vision for Their Importance in ganization of the congress. Prof. Baser of - Discovery Perspective” touched upon the Biotechnology and Natural Product Re - fered a vote of thanks to several people intriguing issue of immunopharmacology search” by Prof. Wolfram Weckwerth (Uni - and wished well to all the participants. and advocated the importance of small versity of Vienna, Austria). He gave an ex - Prof. Barbara Timmermann, President of molecule pharmacology in the regulation pert overview of the plant-endophyte inter - the American Society of Pharmacognosy of inflammation. Prof. Ihsan Calis gave an actions from the perspective of novel tech - (ASP) announce the next year’s joint con - overview of the science of Pharmacognosy nologies such as genome sequencing, gress in New York, USA. The congress in Turkey from a historical perspective. Ac - metabolomics, proteomics and transcrip - ended with a cultural tour to the ancient cording to his account pharmacognosy tomics. town of Perge. has been taught since 1839, the year for - The congress was inaugurated by Her mal pharmacy education had started in Royal Highness Princess of Jordan Basma Prof. Dr. K. Hüsnü Can BASER Turkey during the Ottoman era. Prof. David bint Ali, a biologist and Patron of the Royal President of GA 2011 Congress

The 7 th GA Young Researcher Workshop (YRW) in Antalya, Turkey

The 7 th Young Researchers Workshop The first impulse lecture “Metabolic char - qualitative and quantitative analysis of all (YRW) took place on Sunday, 4 th Septem - acterisation of plants using NMR-based metabolites present in a given organism. A ber 2011, on the occasion of the 59 th Inter - metabolomics” was presented by Young particular emphasis was given to NMR national Congress and Annual Meeting of Hae Choi (University of Leiden, The technique. Despite its inherent low sensi - the GA in Antalya, Turkey. The topics se - Netherlands). Dr Choi reviewed the ad - tivity compared to the MS-based meta - lected for this year’s workshop were: vances made in recent years in meta- bolomic approaches, NMR still is a highly bolomics and highlighted the oppor - suitable and reproducible technique for YRW-I: Rapid strategies for (phyto)chemi - tunities of metabolomics in research field rapid fingerprinting of all primary and sec - cal characterization of natural products – for pharmacognosy/natural product chem - ondary metabolites in a crude extract The Chaired by Jean-Luc Wolfender (University istry. Dr. Choi explained how meta - method has the advantage to be universal of Geneva, Switzerland), Judith M. Rol- bolomics could be utilized for chemical and should allow an easy exchange of linger (University of Innsbruck, Austria) and characterization of a phenotype by the data between laboratories and the creation Anna Rita Bilia (University of Florence, Italy)

YRW-II: Rapid strategies to assess bioac - tivity of natural products – Chaired by Deniz Tasdemir (University of London, UK), Thomas Efferth (University of Mainz, Ger - many) and Andreas Hensel (University of Münster, Germany).

Young researchers from seventeen coun - tries worldwide submitted 38 abstracts. More than 60 participants attended the workshop. The scientific program included two impulse lectures and fourteen short lectures given by selected young scien - tists. In this 2011 edition, the format of the workshop was changed slightly. Instead of having two fully separated workshops, the YRW committee decided to organise a joint introductory session to include both impulse lectures, and a joint round table discussion at the end of the workshop. The talks of the young researchers were run in two parallel sessions according to the top - ics described above. The participants of the YRW 2011, with the YRW committee and impulse lecturers

13 of a common database if standardised ex - The short lectures given by the young re - C. Niranjala Nanayakkarawasam Masach- traction protocols are widely accepted by searchers covered diverse fields and appli - chige (Achillea collina response to biotic the scientific community. cations within the YRW topics. This in - and abiotic stresses: A comparative evalu - cluded bioactivity screenings, isolation ation of volatile emissions pathways); The second impulse lecture “Discovery of and structure elucidation of novel natural N. Mexia (Synthesis, detection and quan - neuroactive natural products using behav - products, phytochemical analysis/profil - tification of the highly active AhR ligands ioural assays in zebrafish” was presented ing, metabolomics, peptidomics, rapid tryptanthrin, indirubin and indolo[3,2-b] by Alexander D. Crawford (University of standardization, new molecular targets in carbazol in Malassezia yeasts); Leuven, Belgium). Dr Crawford pointed out biochemical/natural product research, in - J. Michl (Toxicological risk assessment of that the activity-guided isolation of natural novative analytical, microbial cultivation Aristolochia species); products from complex plant matrices or and bioactivity assessment methods, or - A. Schramm (Risk assessment of hERG other biomasses is dependant on the bio - ganic synthesis of natural product-derived channel inhibition by natural products – medical relevance of the bioassays used. compounds as well as toxicological risk screening & activity directed analysis of Many compounds display in vitro biologi - assessment of spices, food and plants. All spices, food and medicinal plants). cal activities, but lack efficacy or are toxic presentations were of high scientific level The round table discussions were also in - in vivo , and large amounts of compound and high rhetoric quality. The participation teractive and clarified many points. It also required for in vivo studies are often un - of the audience was intense and enthusi - provided the audience with a more de - available. Zebrafish-based assays are astic. In most cases the YRW panellists tailed background and future perspectives emerging as an alternative to classical were limited solely to the coordination of on the workshop subjects and natural bioassays as a versatile, microgram-scale the discussion among the participants, product research in general. and high-throughput method for the sys - making this workshop a unique platform to All YRW 2011 participants received an at - tematic identification of in vivo bioactive exchange ideas and knowledge in a most tendance certificate. The YRW lecture natural products. Such an approach can constructive and friendly atmosphere. awardees were presented an award certifi - be effectively used in activity-guided isola - cate, plus a prize, which was sponsored by tion of secondary metabolites and enables Six very best presentations have been se - Bionorica AG. The award certificates and the evaluation of both therapeutic and lected and awarded (in alphabetical order): prizes were handed over during the closing toxic activities in vivo at very early stages J. Köhbach (Improved peptidomics screen - ceremony of the GA conference, which of natural product drug discovery. The as - ing protocol for the identification of cy - took place on Thursday, 9 th September. say can also be useful for the subsequent clotide-containing plants); The YRW Committee congratulates the derivatization of bioactive natural products N. Lemonakis (A rapid LC-MS method for awardees and wishes best of success to selected for further development as drug the simultaneous quantification of oleu - all young scientists who have attended the leads. Dr Crawford gave specific examples ropein and its main metabolite, hydroxyty - 7th YRW in Antalya. how zebrafish larvae assays were used to rosol, in clinical samples after oral admin - guide the isolation of anticonvulsive sec - istration of commercial herb medicinal Deniz Tasdemir, Anna Rita Bilia, ondary metabolites in his laboratory. products); Jean-Luc Wolfender

The YRW awardees with Dr Tasdemir, the Chair of the YRW, and Prof Kopp, the President of the GA

14 “Every 4 years in Nonnweiler …”

Report of the 5 th Mistletoe Symposium: “Mistletoe in Cancer Therapy – Basic Research and Clinical Practice”

From 10 th to 12 th November 2011 about a with included pharmaceutical aspects of toxic) lectins, a chitin-binding lectin (Visal - hundred scientists and doctors from a the manufacture of mistletoe preparations bCBA) which is specific for glucosamine variety of scientific disciplines and thera - and the effects of various constituents, in groups is also known to exist. The bio - peutic approaches met at the European vitro and in-vivo preclinical studies, studies chemical properties, biological availability Academy of Otzenhausen (in Nonnweiler, on the immunology and cytotoxicity of and stability of the mistletoe lectins are in - Saarland) for the 5th International, Interdis - presently marketed or developmental fluenced by other components of mistletoe ciplinary Mistletoe Symposium. At the mistletoe preparations, clinical results ob - extracts (viscotoxins, oligo - and polysac - symposium, the latest results from re - tained in various applications and tumour charides). search and clinical medicine were pre - entities in both adjuvant and palliative ther - Professor Klein (Tübingen) spoke about sented, discussed and compared, so as to apeutic settings in both human and veteri - chronic and acute inflammation and the put together a multidimensional and com - nary medicine, reports from medical prac - dual role of inflammation in the pathogen - prehensive picture of the current state of tice, and clinical studies designed to esis of cancer. A variety of immune and in - scientific knowledge on mistletoe extracts. demonstrate specific effects, the efficacy, flammatory cells are to be found inside a Bridges were built not only between differ - the safety and tolerability of mistletoe tumour. These immunocompetent cells in - ent therapeutic approaches, pharmaceu - preparations. All the abstracts from the fluence the tumour cells in various ways tics and medicine, and basic research into symposium have been published in Eng - (via cytokines, chemokines, growth fac - mistletoe and use of mistletoe, but also lish in Phytomedicine (Elsevier-Verlag) 18 tors, prostaglandins and reactive oxygen between conventional and complementary (2011), Supplement VIII and are freely and nitrogen species). Inflammation influ - oncology. The treatment of pancreatic car - available in the internet at www.Science ences every single step in tumorigenesis, cinoma was chosen as a topic for special Direct.com. The abstract booklets which from tumour initiation and tumour mainte - attention and was dealt with in depth in a are still in stock are available on request nance to tumour progression and metasta - podium discussion both from the perspec - from the author of this article. The follow - sis. A rough distinction can be made be - tive of conventional oncology and in terms ing paragraphs provide details of the sum - tween tumour-destructive inflammation of the contribution which mistletoe prepa - mary papers and the topic of pancreatic (TH1 response, M1 macrophages, NK rations can make to the management of carcinoma. cells) and tumour-promoting inflammation this condition. In addition, the participants As might be expected, the focus of the (TH2 response, M2 macrophages). Both at the symposium discussed and unani - pharmaceutical presentations was on pro - and anticarcinogenic and inflamma - mously approved the wording of the “Sec - mistletoe lectins, a class of substances tory mechanisms are present simultane - ond Nonnweiler Declaration” (see box at present in mistletoe extracts which jointly ously in developing tumours, but if the tu - end of article for details). This declaration determine the effects of these extracts. mour is not eliminated, the procarcino - calls for the cost of parenteral administra - Professor Blaschek (Kiel) used immuno - genic effects come to dominate. Signal tion of mistletoe preparations not only in histochemical methods to determine the transduction pathways which promote the the palliative but also in the adjuvant ther - localisation of these lectins in the mistletoe procarcinogenic effects of inflammation apeutic setting to remain reimbursable by plant and found differences in this regard often form a vicious circle. Certain immune the German statutory health insurance between tissues and seasons. He showed and inflammatory components can exert (SHI) funds. that mistletoe lectins are mainly located in positive effects on tumour growth during The symposium was organised and spon - the shoots rather than the leaves, espe - one stage of tumour development, but sored by the Karl and Veronica Carstens cially in the cortical parenchyma and in the negative effects during another stage. Foundation and the Society of Anthropo - outer sclerenchyma caps of the vascular Treatment with mistletoe preparations, sophical Doctors in Germany (GAÄD) in bundles. which have long been reported to stimu - collaboration with the Society for Medici - Based on the known structures of mistle - late a large number of factors that influ - nal Plant and Natural Product Research toe lectins ML -1 and ML -3 (the molecular ence (anticarcinogenic) tumour-associated (GA), the Society for Phytotherapy (GPT), structure of ML -2 remains unknown), Pro - inflammation via a variety of mechanisms, the German Pharmaceutical Society fessor Pfüller (Hamburg) discussed the can help break down immune tolerance to (DPhG) and the Central Association of biochemical and pharmacologically rele - tumour antigens and positively influence Doctors in Naturopathic and Regulation vant properties of these proteins, which the immune response to tumours. Never - Medicine (ZAEN), with the International As - specifically recognise galactosyl/N-acetyl- theless, the mechanism of such processes sociation for Pharmaceutical Technology aminogalactosyl target structures. In addi - varies from tumour to tumour, and only by (APV) acting as a cooperation partner. The tion to the ribosome-inactivating (cyto - continuously expanding our knowledge of symposium was coordinated by Dr. Rainer Scheer, of the Carl Gustav Carus Institute in Niefern-Öschelbronn.The scientific or - ganising committee was made up of Prof. Dr. Susanne Alban (Kiel), Prof. Dr. Hans Becker (St. Ingbert), Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Blaschek (Kiel), Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Fritz H. Kemper (Münster), Prof. Dr. Wolf - gang Kreis (Erlangen), PD Dr. Harald Matthes (Berlin), Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Heinz Schilcher (Immenstadt) and Dr. Rainer Stange (Berlin). A particular feature of this mistletoe sym - posium was the broad range of topics cov - ered, reflecting the breadth of current re - search on this important medicinal plant. Pharmaceutical, pharmacological and medical topics were presented by means Representatives of scientific associations and organisers of the Mistletoe Symposium of 8 summary papers, 24 short lectures (from left): Prof. H. Becker, Prof. W. Blaschek, Prof. S. Alban, Dr. R. Scheer, and 19 posters. The specific areas dealt PD H. Matthes, Dr. R. Stange

15 the complex interplay between different of mistletoe preparations, side effects are and signs such as pain and weight loss. components of the anti-tumour response mostly mild. Most common among these The median survival time of patients with will we be able to develop better strategies are local reactions (skin reddening, indura - metastatic pancreatic carcinoma receiving for treating this disease. tion at the injection site after subcutaneous this treatment is 6 to 7 months. Combina - In his talk, Professor Efferth (Mainz) re - administration) and a slight rise in temper - tion of gemcitabine with erlotinib, an EGF ported on methods of predicting response ature. Both of these types of reaction indi - receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, im - to cancer therapy and on the significance cate to the doctor that the patient is re - proves this value (to 10.5 months) only in of these for the development of person - sponding to the mistletoe therapy. There patients who show an (inflammatory) skin alised treatment strategies. In this respect have been occasional reports of pseudo- reaction in the first few weeks of treatment. he discussed a range of subjects including allergic reactions, but no reports of serious Recently Conroy et al. showed that in relevant cytotoxicity tests, immunohisto - adverse reactions. Approximately equal patients with metastases, intensified chemical detection of prognostic markers numbers of studies have been conducted chemotherapy in accordance with the of therapeutic response and patient sur - in adjuvant and palliative therapy settings. FOLFIRINOX protocol increases median vival time, and modern pharmacogenomic In recent years, regulatory authority de - survival time to 11.1 months. techniques (comparative genomic hybridi - mands have increasingly led to the per - Dr. Matthes (Berlin) discussed the use of sation, DNA methylation assays, mRNA formance of (in most cases randomised) mistletoe therapy in adjuvant and palliative microarrays, etc.). He compared data he clinical trials (RCTs), although many med - therapy settings. In patients with pancre - had obtained using these techniques with ical questions cannot be answered on the atic carcinoma, mistletoe preparations are clinical patient data, and presented the re - basis of RCTs alone. used subcutaneously (as an adjuvant to sults of investigations aimed at predicting The question of studies also received a lot chemotherapy), intravenously and intra- sensitivity or resistance both to cytotoxic of attention in the podium discussion on tumorally in order to exploit the cytotoxic agents and to phytochemicals used in the main topic: “Treatment of pancreatic properties of mistletoe extracts. Dr. complementary medicine. In doing so he carcinoma”. In this discussion it was Matthes reported on a controlled, retro - emphasised the relevance of these meth - pointed out that RCTs investigate the ef - spective, multicentric, pharmaco epi de- ods to herbal medicines such as mistletoe fect or efficacy of drugs in highly selected mio logical noninterventional cohort study preparations. patient groups, and do not always reflect in which 396 postoperative patients re - Dr. Breitkreuz (Bad Liebenzell) reported on real-world therapeutic situations. For this ceived conventional therapy with gem- recent developments in anthroposophical reason, greater importance is likely to be citabine, while those patients in the mistle - mistletoe therapy and on a series of expert attached in the future to health services re - toe arm (n=201) also received Iscador conferences hosted by the GAÄD between search and possibly also to evaluation of Quercus subcutaneously. This led to an 2008 and 2011. By reference to a number registry data as a means of acquiring med - improvement in terms of quality of life, of case reports he discussed the topics ical and therapeutic knowledge. The Net - symptoms attributable to the disease and considered at those conferences, namely work of Oncology (NO; Havelhöhe Re - its treatment and overall survival in the dosing strategies (initiation of therapy: es - search Institute, Berlin) will likewise be - mistletoe group as compared to the com - calating dosage regimen or high initial come more important. At present about parator group. In a phase I dose escalation dose), choice of host tree, choice of prepa - 2000 patients per year are documented in study by Mansky et al. (Bethesda, USA), it ration, control of mistletoe therapy and the Network of Oncology. was found that use of mistletoe therapy methods of administration (subcutaneous, In his talk on “Options and limitations of with Helixor A in combination with gem- intravenous, intratumoral, intrapleural, in - ductal pancreatic cancer treatment”, Pro - citabine in patients with advanced solid tu - travesical, oral), with reference to differ - fessor Seufferlein (Halle) pointed out that mours (n = 44; pancreatic carcinoma ences between mistletoe preparations de - pancreatic carcinoma has a very poor n=10) was not only well tolerated, but also pending on their method of manufacture. prognosis. The principal reasons for this, higher doses of gemcitabine (as recom - He also discussed questions such as how he said, are firstly the lateness with which mended) were possible. The neutrophil mistletoe therapy and conventional ther - the disease is diagnosed as a result of an granulocyte count and its minimum value apy are coordinated and what should be absence of symptoms or the presence of during chemotherapy showed a mistletoe done in the event of critical treatment inci - only nonspecific symptoms, and secondly dose-depending increase. No influence dents or side effects. In order to provide the resistance of the disease to radiother - whatsoever on the pharmacokinetics of doctors who prescribe mistletoe therapy apy and chemotherapy. Only complete re - the cytotoxic drug or on cytokine release with well-founded information, new study section – which is, however, rarely possi - was observed. Dr. Matthes also referred to concepts (e.g. qualitative studies) are be - ble – offers a possibility of cure. In his talk, smaller studies (Schad et al., Berlin) in ing developed, data collection is being in - Professor Seufferlein dealt with subjects which patients with inoperable pancreatic tensified (Network of Oncology, Havelhöhe ranging from neoadjuvant, adjuvant and carcinoma were treated with intratumorally Research Institute) and plans are under - palliative therapies to new therapeutic administered mistletoe preparations of a way for a new handbook (GAÄD, compila - strategies such as the use of CD40 ago - number of different manufacturers simulta - tion of evidence on therapeutic use of an - nists, which cause breakdown of tumour neously with gemcitabine therapy. Overall throposophical medicines), the third edi - stroma and lysis of tumour cells by survival time was subsequently found to tion (2013) of which is to include reference macrophages. He also referred to albumin- be 12.2 months in patients in UICC stage to mistletoe preparations. bound paclitaxel, which is used in the form III and 11.2 months in patients in UICC Dr. Kienle (Freiburg) provided an overview of nanoparticles in combination with gem - stage IV, with a one-year survival rate of 26 of clinical studies on mistletoe prepara - citabine, and to the acquisition of more de - percent. tions used in anthroposophical medicine tailed knowledge of tumour subgroups, Outcome study data obtained by Dr. and phytotherapy. More than 140 such which it is hoped will improve the effi - Spahn (monocentric integrative therapeu - studies have been published, of which 60 ciency of treatment. The following obser - tic approach = indication-dependent com - were prospective controlled studies. The vations apply only to adjuvant and pallia - bination of conventional with anthropo - study objectives were to improve quality of tive therapy settings. In Europe the stan - sophical therapy including mistletoe ex - life, patient survival, tumour response, and dard treatment in the adjuvant therapy set - tract, in most cases Abnobaviscum; hyper - safety and tolerability. Most of the studies ting is chemotherapy alone. With this ap - thermia) complemented and confirmed yielded positive results, but due to proach, the 5-year survival rate has been these favourable results. The result was methodological differences in quality some increased from 9 to 20 percent. Because good tolerance of treatment with a median received more favourable reviews than of its lower toxicity, gemcitabine is pre - survival time of 15.2 months in all patients others. One definite finding is that mistle - ferred to bolus administration of 5 -FU, al - (n = 95) and 12.4 months in patients with toe preparations improve quality of life and though survival rates do not differ signifi - advanced disease (stages III and IV; the tolerability of conventional cancer ther - cantly between the two drugs. In the pallia - n=60). It was thus shown that an integra - apies. Study data on safety and tolerability tive setting, gemcitabine prolongs survival tive therapeutic approach involving use of show that after parenteral administration and relieves disease-related symptoms mistletoe therapy leads to results which

16 are at least comparable to those obtained other phase III study, in this case in pa - The full texts of all contributions to the with purely conventional therapy, but with tients with superficial bladder carcinoma symposium are to be made available, pre - better tolerance. (Eisenbraun, Pforzheim; Abnobaviscum sumably by the end of 2012. Further infor - A randomised phase III study (Tröger, Fraxini), is currently in preparation. In addi - mation on this and on previous mistletoe Freiburg; Iscador Qu spezia l) in patients tion, two prospective pharmaco epide mio- symposia is available at www.mistelsym - with advanced or metastatic pancreatic logical studies on the use of Iscador Qu posium.de. carcinoma was described in a poster. The spezial in patients with colorectal carci - initial analysis of the results of this study is noma (800 patients) and pancreatic carci - Dr. Rainer Scheer, Carl Gustav Carus- to be performed shortly, so the papers to noma (400 patients) are being conducted Institut, 75223 Niefern-Öschelbronn be delivered at the next Mistletoe Sympo - at present. sium (2015) will be eagerly awaited. An -

Second Nonnweiler Declaration

Reimbursement of the costs of mistletoe preparations used in adjuvant cancer therapy

Based on the present state of scientific knowledge and cog - Despite this, such restrictions on the reimbursability of mistletoe nisant of the new research results discussed at the 5 th Interna - preparations by the SHI scheme have been in force since the tional Symposium “Mistletoe in Cancer Therapy – Basic Re - end of September 2011, based on the grounds given for the search and Clinical Practice” held from 10 th to 12 th November Federal Social Court’s most recent ruling. As a result of this, 2011 in Nonnweiler, the participants of that symposium hereby effective, well tolerated, useful and cost-effective treatment with declare that the costs of parenteral administration of mistletoe mistletoe preparations is being withheld from many patients in preparations not only in the palliative but also in the adjuvant the adjuvant therapy setting. therapeutic setting should remain reimbursable by the statutory Therefore, and in accordance with their ethical responsibility to health insurance (SHI) funds. the cancer patients whose care has been entrusted to them and Clinical studies have shown that mistletoe preparations improve who seek their advice, the representatives of the medical and the quality of life of cancer patients and the tolerability of con - pharmaceutical professions who are gathered together at this ventional cancer therapies. There is also evidence that the sur - symposium call for treatment with mistletoe preparations to be vival of cancer patients is prolonged. As the studies concerned made reimbursable by the SHI scheme in cases in which the were performed both in adjuvant and in palliative therapy set - physician considers such medicines to be a necessary compo - tings, restriction of reimbursability by the SHI scheme to pallia - nent of oncological therapy. tive therapy of malignant tumours is not justified.

Further Meetings

Dear colleagues, intercultural aspects of herbal medicine • Traditional and modern herbal medicinal and its relevance in modern societies. As products in infectious diseases The Scientific and Organizing Committees one example, we want to discuss the rele - cordially invite you to participate in the 13 th vance of the Silk Road for the exchange of Please register at the congress web site or International Congress of the Society medicinal plants and medicinal knowledge send in the attached preliminary registra - for Ethnopharmacology, which will be or - between east and west. tion form, if you want to receive updates ganized in collaboration with the Society The research presented in plenary lectures and further information. for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product will in particular deal with a holistic ap - http://ise13.uni-graz.at/cms/ Research and Eurasia-Pacific Uninet. The proach and the application of systems bi - congress will be hosted by University of ology in medicinal plant research. Special Looking forward to welcoming you in Graz, Graz, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sci - emphasis will be on traditional and modern Rudi Bauer, Chairman ences, Graz/Austria from September 2nd herbal medicinal products in age related to 6th, 2012. and infectious diseases. Presentations The International Society for Ethnophar - from other areas will also be accepted. macology is a collaborative, interdiscipli - nary group of scientists – anthropologists, MAIN SCIENTIFIC TOPICS 15 –18. April 2012 „Good Practices in Tra - pharmacists, pharmacologists, ethno - ditional Chinese Medicine“ International botanists, phytochemists, and others – all • Intercultural ethnopharmacology Congress, Leiden, The Netherlands. Topis fascinated by the study of the local and • Ethnomedicine along the Silk Road in relation to GP-TCM: botany, extraction, global use of traditional medicines. • Herbal medicines – from traditional “omics”, in vivo studies, clinical studies, Traditional medicinal knowledge has been knowledge to global commodities systems biology, acupuncture, moderniza - transferred over the centuries and also • Holistic approach and systems biology in tion, regulatory affairs. over wide distances, and develops into medicinal plant research globalised herbal medicine. In this con - • Traditional and modern herbal medicinal Informations: www.gp-tcm-congress.nl, gress we want to focus in particular on the products in ageing related diseases email: [email protected]

17 New Books

Chromatographic Fingerprint Analysis modern tool and science based authentic - techniques in order to promote demands of Herbal Medicines: Thin-layer and ity proof of TCHD the use of the chromato - of Quality, Safety and Efficacy which are High Performance Liquid Chromatogra - graphic TLC-, GC- and HPLC-fingerprints asked for nowadays in a variety of prod - phy of Chinese Drugs technique; this is concurrent with Chinese ucts which contain botanicals. In a wider scientific experts who agreed this analyti - scope regulators and students working in Wagner, H.; Bauer, R.; Melchart, D.; cal method as the best at present avail - life sciences are addressed as well as the Xiao, P.-G.; Staudinger, A. (Eds.); able. In this context and in order to meet medical profession and probably the con - Originally published by Verlag für Ganz - regulatory demands on Quality, Safety and sumer of such products in a modern soci - heitliche Medizin, Dr. Erich Wühr GmbH, Efficacy of Herbal Medicinal Products ety. 2004. 2nd ed., revised, enlarged, 2011, (HMP) in general within the European Prof. Fritz H. Kemper, Germany XL, 1024 p. 376 illus., 100 in color. Community, questions of other safety and In 2 volumes, not available separately. quality factors of concern, e.g. in TCM, are Hardcover, ISBN 978-3-7091-0762-1. discussed. Drugs of Natural Origin: The two-volume manual represents both, a A Treatise of Pharmacognosy handbook with the results of investigations on medicinal plants used in TCM with em - By Gunnar Samuelsson and Lars Bohlin, phasis on analytical investigations of fin - Division of Pharmacognosy, Department gerprints produced by TLC, HPLC and GC of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Univer - resulting in a detection and an estimation sity, Sweden; 6 th revised edition. of main lower molecular constituents and a textbook compiling informations on chem - Drugs of Natural Origin is a unique multi - istry in general, pharmacological proper - disciplinary book suitable for undergradu - ties and therapeutic indications altogether ate and graduate students and teachers in enabling the user to control own products the area of natural product research, but or to develop new ones. also as a complementary book for disci - Despite long tradition and experience by plines like medicinal chemistry, biochem - observation often concrete investigations istry and pharmacology. The book can on Quality, Safety and Efficacy which are also serve society as a scientific source for mandatory in the European Union, are the understanding of a sustainable use of There is no doubt: Traditional Chinese missing. This gap is closed by the text - natural products in the development of Medicine (TCM) is like a silent crossborder book which will act as an excellent tool for new drugs, scientifically based herbal commuter in advance through Europe, a security check. Not only in these re - remedies, and environmentally adapted with preference in Germany. Two decades spects the handbook is a showpiece of ef - biomolecules. ago a special TCM-clinic had been opened fective and clearly defined TCM Drugs. During evolution, molecules have been de - in Bad Kötzting spa/Germany. Embedded Another important finding which was dis - veloped for specific functions in nature. in the 20 th Anniversary of this hospital is covered during the preparatory phase of These bioactive substances have a poten - the publication of modern styled mono - the books that metabolites occurred in de - tial as new drug candidates in drug devel - graphs of medicinal plants used also in pendence to storage time, compounds opment, but also as pharmacological TCM. Edited by well known scientists with which probably can influence the pharma - tools, intermediates or templates for syn - a high reputation in the field gives proof cological effect and thus the therapeutic thesis of drugs. This book deals with ter - that the books will be a treasure trove. efficacy, were identified as phytofungi. restrial and marine bioactive substances of With a remarkable openess scientific rele - A wide field of future investigations will be plant, microbial or animal origin. The oc - vant question like influences of drug pro - opened by this observation consequently. currence, biosynthesis, isolation, chem - cessing and nomenclature are addressed A special advantage of the handbook is istry and medical use are described, to - and ways of solution of problems shown. the clear structuring of important facts fol - gether with basic research strategies. In two volumes 80 original monographs of lowed by conclusions and in some cases Development in the field of natural prod - plant species replenished by the same useful recommendations how to handle ucts of medical importance continues to number of subspecies (81) are listed and difficult and actual problems. expand. Since the publication of the 5 th described in detail including chemical and The book covers a broad range of scien - edition of this book, five years ago, new pharmacological properties; most of the tific literature in general up to 2009, with a concepts such as chemo- and bioinfor - plants are listed in the Chinese Pharma - total number of more than 2100 citations. matics, phylogenetics and systems biol - copoeia devoted to TCM Drugs (2005 Eng - In an appendix details are given on basic ogy with the new “omics” techniques (ge - lish edition). solvent systems and material for perform - nomics, proteomics and metabolomics) Compared with the 1 st edition of the col - ing the fingerprint analyses as well as main have entered the field. Herbal remedies lection of monographs published more structure types of natural products. A well have been subject to more rigid legislation than a decade ago (Wagner et al.), the prepared index offers an easy orientation. aiming at improvement of quality and the enormous gain in knowledge in general The term “brilliant” may not be interpreted laying of a better foundation for their use, and technological analytical progress is only as an adjective in describing the particularly as over-the-counter prepara - evident. Due attention is given to the or - colour-reproduction of chromatographs tions for self-medication, but also as ganisation of the two volume handbook but added to the technical performance in constituents of conventional drugs. This which allows easily to find compounds of the respective laboratories of the universi - develop ment is reflected in a substantial interest of a single plant e.g. for risk benefit ties of München/Germany and Graz/Aus - revision and expansion of the book, also in - analysis or as reference standard. tria, too. cluding description of new drugs marketed In an introductory chapter the authors de - This handbook should be of interest to all since the publication of the previous edition. scribe in depth and in a critical manner scientists working in the field of Herbal their point of view on facts and perspec - Medicinal Products used in TCM or from 776 pages. Illustrated in colour. tives of Traditional Chinese Herbal Drugs other sources, also as a guide for those ISBN 978-91-976510-5-9; (TCHD). Amongst others they claim as a with experience in TLC-, HPLC- and GC- www.lma-books.se.

18 Recent thesis (2010) on Medicinal Plant Research (Notices of Ph.D- and M.Sc./diploma thesis to the editor are welcome any time!)

Ph.D. thesis (2010) Phytochemical screen - maceutical Education and Research mazeutische Biologie, Molekulare Zell- ing and evaluation of antioxidant and (NIPER), SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab, India. biologie, Martin-Luther Universität Halle. anti-inflammatory potential of secondary metabolites of Plantago L. species (in Ser - Ph.D. thesis (2011). Investigating the mode Ph.D. thesis (2011) In silico guided ap - bian). By: Ivana Beara; Mentor: Professor of action and characterisation of active proaches in the search for anti-inflamma - Neda Mimica-Duki ć, Department of principles – A Salvia officinalis tincture for tory and anti-influenza natural leads. By: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmen - the amelioration of hot flushes. By: Sinikka Ulrike Grienke; Promotor: Prof. Dr. Judith. tal Protection, Faculty of Sciences, Univer - Rahte; Promotor: Dr Deniz Tasdemir and M. Rollinger, Institute of Pharmacy/Phar - sity of Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia. Prof. Andreas Kortenkamp, School of macognosy, University of Innsbruck, Aus - Pharmacy, University of London, UK. tria. Ph.D. thesis (2010) Effects of copaiba oil and constituents in Trypanosoma cruzi. Ph.D. thesis (2011) Phytochemische Un - Ph.D. thesis (2011) Phytochemical and By: Éryka Izumi; Promotor: Prof. Celso tersuchung von Nesseln. I. Phytochemis - pharmacological investigations of medici - Vataru Nakamura, State University of Lon - che Untersuchungen an Loasaceae. II. nal plants with anti-inflammatory activity. drina, Brazil. Qualitative und quantitative Analyse von (in German) By Martina Blunder; Promotor: phenolischen Inhaltsstoffen in oberirdi- Prof. R. Bauer, Institute of Pharmaceutical Ph.D. thesis (2011) Biopotential and chem - schen Teilen von Urtica species. By: Beate Sciences, University of Graz, Austria. ical characterization of extracts and essen - Csik-Britzmann; Promotor: Prof. F. Bucar, tial oils of species from Juniperus L. genus University of Graz, Austria. Ph.D. thesis (2011) Phytochemical and (Cupressaceae) (in Serbian). By: Marija pharmacological investigations on con - Lesjak; Mentor: Professor Neda Mimica- Ph.D. thesis (2011) Volatile Compounds of stituents of medicinal plants with potential Duki ć, Department of Chemistry, Bio - Herbal Teas. Rosmarinus officinalis L., La - anti-cancer activity. By Nadine Kretsch- chemistry and Environmental Protection, vandula angustifolia Mill., Foeniculum vul - mer; Promotor: Prof. R. Bauer, Institute of Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi gare Mill., Thymus vulgaris L., Matricaria Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia. recutita L. By: Christine Tschiggerl; Pro - Graz, Austria. motor: Prof. F. Bucar, University of Graz, Ph.D. thesis (2011) Sustainable production Austria. Ph.D. thesis (2011) Phytochemical and of cannabinoids with supercritical carbon pharmacological investigations of Echi - dioxide technologies. By: H. Perrotin- Ph.D. thesis (2011) Discovery of new scaf - nacea pallida (NUTT.) NUTT. roots includ - Brunel. Promotor: Prof. J. Witkamp and folds for GABA A receptor modulators ing new insights into the biological activity Prof. R. Verpoorte. University of Delft, The from natural origin. By: Janine M. Zaugg; of polyacetylenes and polyenes. By Elisa - Netherland. Promotor: Prof. M. Hamburger, Departe - beth Feizlmayr; Promotor: Prof. R. Bauer, ment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univer - Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uni - Ph.D. thesis (2011) Comprehensive extrac - sity of Basel, Switzerland. versity of Graz, Austria. tion and NMR-based metabolomics: Novel approaches to natural products lead find - Ph.D. thesis (2011) Cyclin-dependent ki - Ph.D. thesis (2011) Antimicrobial property ing in drug discovery. By: N.D. Yuliana. nase 5 in endothelial migration: Elucidating of plants from Brazilian cerrado used in Promotor: Prof. R. Verpoorte and Prof. regulatory mechanisms upstream of Cdk5 ethnomedicine. By: Cleyton Eduardo P.G.L. Klinkhamer. University of Leiden, and evaluating novel Cdk inhibitors as Mendes de Toledo; Promotor: Prof. Tânia The Netherland. anti-angiogenic drugs. By: Sabine Weiten - Ueda-Nakamura, State University of Mar - steiner; Promotor: Prof. Dr. S. Zahler and ingá, Brazil. PhD thesis (2011) A metabolomics ap - Prof. Dr. A. Vollmar, Department Phar - proach to thrips resistance in tomato. By: macy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Ph.D. thesis (2011) Investigation of activity R.R. Romero Gonzalez. Promotor: Prof. R. Munich, Germany. toxicological and pharmacological of the Verpoorte and Prof. P.G.L. Klinkhamer. fraction rich in proanthocyanidin polymers University of Leiden, The Netherland. Ph.D. thesis (2011) Isolation of positive obtained from the bark of Stryphnoden - GABAA receptor modulators from Chinese dron adstringens (Mart.) Coville (Barba - Ph.D. thesis (2011) NMR spectroscopy herbal drugs traditionally used in treatment timão). By: Marco Antonio Costa; Promo - and chemometrics-based analysis of of anxiety and insomnia. By: Dr. Judith tor: Prof. Celso Vataru Nakamura, State grapevine. By: K. Ali. Promotor: Prof. R. Singhuber; Promoter: Prof. B. Kopp, De - University of Maringá, Brazil. Verpoorte and Prof. P.G.L. Klinkhamer. partment of Pharmacognosy, University of University of Leiden, The Netherland. Vienna, Austria. Ph.D. thesis (2011) Biological activity of crude extract and compounds isolated Ph.D. thesis (2011) Phytochemical investi - Ph.D. thesis (2011) Struktur und Mechanis - from Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass. in gation and bioactivity-guided isolation of mus der Sanguinarin-Reduktase, ein Ent - Leishmania amazonensis . By: Helena Teru cytotoxic compounds from Metaxya ros - giftungsenzym aus Eschscholzia califor - Takahashi; Promotor: Prof. Celso Vataru trata. By: Kerstin Kainz; Promotor: Ao. nica . By: Dipl.Pharm. Matthias Vogel, Pro - Nakamura, State University of Maringá, Univ.-Prof. L. Krenn and Ao. Univ.-Prof. B. moter: Prof. Dr. Werner Roos, Institut für Brazil. Marian, Department for Pharmacognosy, Pharmazie, Pharmazeutische Biologie, University of Vienna, and Institute of Can - Molekulare Zellbiologie, Martin-Luther Uni - Ph.D. thesis (2011) New Drugs antileish - cer Research, Medical University of versität Halle. mania: Planning, Development and Evalu - Vienna, Austria. ation of Biological Activity. By: Tatiana Ph.D. thesis (2011) Die Auffindung neuer Shioji Tiuman: Prof. Celso Vataru Naka - Ph.D. thesis (2011) Investigations on se - Bindepartner pflanzlicher G(alpha) Pro - mura, State University of Maringá, Brazil. lected medicinal plants for cyclooxyge - teine durch genetische, zellbiologische nase (COX)-1 and COX-2 inhibition. By: und biochemische Methoden. By: Carolin Ph.D. thesis (2011) In vitro and in vivo ac - Raju Gautam; Promoter: Associate Prof. Massalski(Wolf), Promoter: Prof. Dr. Wer - tivity of copaiba oil against Leishmania Sanjay Jachak, National Institute of Phar - ner Roos, Institut für Pharmazie, Phar - amazonensis. By: Adriana Oliveira dos

19 Santos; Promotor: Prof. Celso Vataru Florida, USA and Prof. Dr. Karen Nieber, Diploma thesis (2011) The use of HPTLC- Nakamura, State University of Londrina, University of Leipzig, Germany. MS coupling in the analysis of medicinal Brazil. plants (in German) by Manina Meier; Pro - Diploma thesis (2011) Beeinflussung der motor: Prof. R. Bauer, Institute of Pharma - Ph.D. thesis (2011) Investigation on the Aktivität der Myeloperoxidase durch ceutical Sciences, University of Graz, Aus - biosynthesis of the central pyrrole moiety Flavonoide in Gegenwart von Thiocyanat. tria. of coumermycin A1 and identification of By Sandra Meier; Promotor Prof. Dr. Jür - new caprazamycins by LC/ESI-MS/MS. gen Arnhold and Prof. Dr. Karen Nieber, Diploma thesis (2011) Phytochemical and By: Stefanie Siebenberg; Promotor: Prof. University of Leipzig, Germany. pharmacological investigations of Piper L. Heide and Prof. S. Grond, University of sarmentosum Roxb. and Zanthoxylum Tübingen, Germany. Diploma thesis (2011) Isolierung phenoli- gilletii De Wildeman (in German) by Carina scher Inhaltsstoffe aus Myricaria longifolia Stuhlpfarrer; Promotor: Prof. R. Bauer, Ph.D. thesis (2011) MbtH and adenylate- Ehrenb. By: Sandra Dunkler; Promotor: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uni - forming enzymes in the biosynthesis of Prof. S. Glasl-Tazreiter, Department of versity of Graz, Austria. aminocoumarin antibiotics and van - Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, comycin. By: Björn Boll; Promotor: Prof. L. Austria. Diploma thesis (2011) Characterization of Heide and Prof. T. Stehle, University of commercial pressed juices from the aerial Tübingen, Germany. Diploma thesis (2011) Phytochemische parts of Echinacea purpurea for the devel - Untersuchungen der Nebenwurzeln von opment of a monograph for the European Diploma thesis (2011) Effects of BSA on in Metaxya rostrata . By: Teresa Pemmer; pharmacopoeia (in German) by Carina vitro glucuronidation studies using human Promotor: Ao. Univ.-Prof. Liselotte Krenn, Halb; Promotor: Prof. R. Bauer, Institute of microsomes and recombinant enzymes. Department for Pharmacognosy, Univer - Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of By: Paolo Svaluto Moreolo; Promoter: sity of Vienna, Austria. Graz, Austria. Prof. B. Kopp, Department of Pharmacog - nosy, University of Vienna, Austria. Thesis of Pharmacy (2011) Le miel, un Diploma thesis (2011) Isolation and struc - composé complexe aux propriétés sur - ture elucidation of isoflavonoids from Diploma thesis (2011) Die Arzneipflanzen prenantes. “Honey, a complex compound Spatholobus suberectus (in German) by des Demonstrationssortiments des Insti - with interesting properties“ By: Alexandra Claudia Weitmann; Promotor: Prof. R. tuts für Pflanzenbau und Pflanzenzüch - Rossant ; Promotor: Prof. A. Desmouliere, Bauer, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sci - tung. By: Christine Bauer; Promoter: Prof. University of Limoges and Dr. F. Bonté ences, University of Graz, Austria. B. Kopp, Department of Pharmacognosy, LVMH Recherche, France. University of Vienna, Austria. Diploma thesis (2011) Isolation and struc - M.Sc. thesis (2011) Analytical method de - ture elucidation of coumarins from Zan - Diploma thesis (2011) Bioassay guided velopment of capillary eletrophoresis to thoxylum nitidum DC (in German)by Martin fractionation for the isolation of cytotoxic separation and identification of Caffeine Hedenig; Promotor: Prof. R. Bauer, Insti - compounds from a Caribbean marine and Flavan-3-ol in extract of Paullinia cu - tute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univer - sponge. By: Heidelinde Fischer; Promoter: pana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke, Sapin - sity of Graz, Austria. Prof. B. Kopp, Department of Pharmacog - daceae. By: Lia Akina Ito; Promotor: Prof. nosy, University of Vienna, Austria. João Carlos Palazzo de Mello, Programa Diploma thesis (2010) Development of an de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farma - HPLC assay for Senna leaves and Senna M.Sc. thesis (2011) Antiviral effects of cêuticas, State University of Maringá, fruits (in German) by Angelika Kathrin Ko - Eupatorium perfoliatum L. and bioassay- Brazil. bath; Promotor: Prof. R. Bauer, Institute of guided fractionation. By: Helene Janzen; Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Promotor: Prof. Dr. Andreas Hensel And M. Sc. thesis (2011) Stryphnodendron ad - Graz, Austria Dr. Jandirk Sendker, University of Münster, stringens: phytochemical and biological Germany. analysis in vitro and in vivo. By: Sandra Cristina Girotto Pinto; Promotor: Prof. M.Sc. thesis (2011) Antiviral effects of L. João Carlos Palazzo de Mello, Programa extract and bioassay-guided fractionation. de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farma - By: Sarah Gerbes; Promotor: Prof. Dr. An - cêuticas, State University of Maringá, dreas Hensel and Dr. Jandirk Sendker, Brazil. University of Münster, Germany. M. Sc. thesis (2011) Anti-HVS-1 activity of Diploma thesis (2011) Untersuchungen zur Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi. By: Sama ra Kooperativität von Inhaltsstoffen des Phy - Requena Nocchi; Promotor: Prof. Tânia topharmakons STW5 auf die TNBS-indu - Ueda-Nakamura, State University of Mar - zierte Entzündung an Colonpräparaten der ingá, Brazil. Ratte. By Nadine Störmer; Promotor Prof. Dr. Karen Nieber, University of Leipzig, Diploma thesis (2010) Isolation of con - Germany. stituents from Hansenia weberbaueriana Editorial remark (Notopterygium incisum) with inhibitory ef - All contributions for the GA- Diploma thesis (2011) Untersuchungen zur fects on NO production in RAW 264.7 Newsletter are welcome. Deadline Kooperativität des Phytopharmakons macrophages (in German) by Nora Anna for submission for the next edition STW5 auf den Tonus und die Acetylcholin- Winkler; Promotor: Prof. R. Bauer, Institute is fixed to May 20 th 2012. Please induzierte Kontraktion an Colonpräparaten of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of send all contributions to: Prof. Dr. der Ratte. By Franziska Herr; Promotor Graz, Austria. A. Hensel, University of Münster, Prof. Dr. Karen Nieber, University of Leip - Institute for Pharmaceutical Biol - zig, Germany. Diploma thesis (2011) Investigations on ogy and Phytochemistry, Hittorf- lateral gene transfer in Leishmania by use straße 56, D-48149 Münster, Ger - Diploma thesis (2011) Effect of Passiflora of molecular biological methods and phy - many; [email protected] extracts on sleep measured by locomotion logenetic analysis by Florian Haubenwall - activity and body temperature in mice us - ner; Promotor: Prof. R. Bauer, Institute of ing telemetry. By Nadine Klein; Promotor Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Prof. Veronika Butterweck, University of Graz, Austria.

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