Title : Tunisian medicinal and toxic species as promising bio resources: Research, use, international cooperation, and investment challenges
Abstract:
Our studies of some Tunisian medicinal and toxic species, carried out in cooperation with Spanish and Italian research groups, have shown several interesting compounds and activities. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the extracts of Nicotiana glauca and Artemisia campestris (traditionally used) tested against the human solid tumor cell lines (HBL-100, T-47D, …) showed GI50 values between 12 and 93 µg/ml. Furthermore, using Astrocytes, we have found that A. campestris promotes apoptosis and increase the ERK phosphorylation at 50 µg/ml. This can be an exciting therapeutic way to target the molecular mechanism of multiple pathologies. In other hand, after successful cultivation of Astragalus gombiformis (a desert species), the study of the aerial parts of wild and cultivated species showed a high degree of similarity. Despite numerous Tunisian studies, these and other plants have not been fully investigated, and the findings are still not valorized. This evokes several issues regarding research, use (safety, totum, extracts, compounds… ), effective cooperation and investment in medicinal plants? Concerning therapeutic use, doctor’s prescription of medicinal plant products is increasing in Tunisia. In fact, we are currently investigating the use of medicinal plants (wild and cultivated) among doctors, pharmacists and patient themselves. International cooperation and investment in medicinal plants recognize several challenges. As an initial step in this approach, we think that a national medicinal plant database should be created. Furthermore, some small private companies have started to commercialize herbal products in pharmacies. In fact, Tunisian Minister of Agriculture received (July 2019) Japanese delegation composed of general managers of companies specialized in valuing the research results and converting agricultural products. This should include other stakeholders, especially from Mediterranean countries, to bring together group researchers, industrialists, doctors, with a framework of national and international cooperation. In this context, we discuss the potential strategies to exploit Tunisian species as a promising bioresources, giving an overall SWOT context of the domain.
