Deliverable 17. Report on compounds identified from natural sources and organic waste (M48)

Abstract

Various secondary metabolites from plants and other organisms have achieved regulatory approval for treating infectious diseases. In addition, valorisation of agro-food by-products and organic waste into valuable precursors towards the synthesis of new drugs against VBDs merges circular economy with sustainable drug discovery leading to the development of eco-friendly, cost-effective antiparasitic drugs. Agriculture is estimated to generate about 700 million tons of waste annually in the EU. Novel valorisation technologies are developing continuously to recover and recycle valuable compounds and nutrients from waste materials. Insect organic waste (frass) are also recently identified. This is a new field and a rich source for the identification of new antiparasitic compounds while simultaneously reducing the environmental fingerprint of agro-food by products and organic waste. Furthermore, sustainable methods for extraction and isolation of natural products and green synthetic methods for derivatisation, promote sustainability and reduce environmental impact. Integrating the green chemistry principles (such as waste reduction, use of safe solvents, energy efficient methods (microwave or ultrasound or flow synthesis) and catalysis) in drug synthesis makes it more cost-effective and environmentally responsible. These concepts are emphasized in the context of OneHealth Drugs and Deliverable D17 towards the discovery and development of new efficacious and low cost  drugs for VBDs.