AIR2-CT92-1145 Initiation and Development of The Culture of A Wild Plant and its Pharmaceutical Interest in The Less Favoured Agricultural Regions European Market, Adapted to Low Water Availability and Saline Conditions

Contacts




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AIR Cluster V - Speciality Chemicals : Agriculture : Pharmaceuticals/Cosmetics : Plant Genetics

	Contract No	AIR2-CT92-1145
	Total Cost	413 500
	EC Contribution	290 000
	Start Date	01/01/1994
	Duration	24 months

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OBJECTIVE:

In the mountain areas of Europe, in particular of France and Spain, farmers need to diversify and to find new production systems to complement their traditional activities of livestock farming. One of the ways to do this is to grow pharmaceutical plants which are of particular interest to pharmaceutical laboratories requiring increasing quantities and strict quality standards. For example, the colchicum (Colchicum autumnale) a relatively common wild species which is difficult to harvest, is a source of interesting substances for use in the making of certain medicines. The French pharmaceutical industry consumes almost 80 tonnes of colchicum seeds a year, collected almost completely in natural environments outside of Europe. To obtain a product in large quantities and meet the new quality standards, the culture of the colchicum, on a European level, appears necessary.

To initiate and develop this culture, the Department of Natural Products of the Barcelona University Pharmacy Faculty (Spain), research and development company - Greentech, and the Clermont-Ferrand INRA (France) are undertaking:

1. to study the influence of the genetic factors on seed production and on the content of active principles and to select the best genotypes

2. to ensure the micro propagation, either by budding or by somatic embryogenesis of genotypes

3. to develop cultivation and harvest methods ensuring an optimum concentration of active principles. This controlled seed production could represent a source of complementary income for farmers.

Cell culture in bioreactor

Contacts

Coordinator

• Jean-Yves BERTHON / Greentech SA FRANCE

EC Scientific Officer

• European Commission DG Agriculture BELGIUM

Participant

• Madame TRIBOI AM / INRA - AGRONOMIE FRANCE
• Carles CODINA / University of Barcelona Department of Natural Products, / SPAIN