Identification and characterization of a novel triyne and cinnamate 4-hydroxylase in Helichrysum aureonitens

...............................................................................................................................VII Thesis composition...............................................................................................................XI Acknowledgements........................................................................................................... XIII List of Figures...................................................................................................................... XV List of Schemes...................................................................................................................XIX List of Tables ....................................................................................................................... XX List of Abbreviations..........................................................................................................XXI Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Medicinal plants past, present....................................................................................... 2 1.1.1 Medicinal plants and human health care.................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Medicinal plants in trade............................................................................................ 4 1.1.3 Medicinal plants: opportunities.................................................................................. 7 1.1.4 Medicinal plants: limitations ...................................................................................... 9 1.1.5 Production of medicinal compounds ........................................................................ 9 1.1.5.1 Traditional cultivation............................................................................................ 9 1.1.5.2 Tissue and cell suspension cultures...................................................................... 10 1.1.5.3 Genetic manipulation of medicinal plants ........................................................... 12 1.1.5.4 Pathway engineering in medicinal plants ............................................................. 13 1.2 Medicinal plants in South Africa................................................................................ 15 1.3 The genus Helichrysum ................................................................................................ 16 1.3.1 Compounds isolated and identified from the genus Helichrysum ............................. 16 1.3.2 Helichrysum aureonitens .............................................................................................. 17 1.3.3 Medicinal properties of H. aureonitens...................................................................... 19 1.4 Aim of the study ...................................................................................................... 21 1.5 Objectives of this study .......................................................................................... 22