Deadly plants reveal six enzymes that could help create new medicines
Some of the world's most dangerous plants may hold the key to developing new medicines, according to researchers who have identified enzymes in wolfsbane and larkspur. These notoriously toxic plants, which can cause neurotoxicity and paralysis even in small doses, also possess the potential for pain relief, malaria treatment, cancer research, and pest control.
By understanding how these plants create their complex molecules, scientists hope to harness their toxic chemistry into safer and more scalable therapeutics. The research, published in Molecular Plant, focuses on diterpenoid alkaloids, a family of molecules that are difficult to study and synthesize. By mapping the biochemical pathways in these plants, scientists have discovered six enzymes that can recreate the desired compounds in a lab environment.
This breakthrough could lead to greener and more sustainable methods of producing plant-based medicines, potentially reducing our reliance on rare or toxic plants.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
