Plants and Chemistry: A Teaching Course Based on the Chemistry of Substances of Plant Origin

Andreoli, Katia; Calascibetta, Franco; Campanella, Luigí; Favero, Gabriele; Occhionero, F.

doi:10.1021/ed079p976

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Medicinal plant chemistry is a field of study at the intersection of chemistry, biochemistry, ecology, evolution, physiology, and human medicine. It has been recognized repeatedly as an excellent real-world context for lessons on chemical principles and techniques as well as chemical diversity, − and as an appropriate mini research project topic for nonscience majors . It is highly interdisciplinary and requires researchers to exercise core cognitive and interpersonal competencies to make novel inferences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Interdisciplinary and Systems Thinking with an Integrative Plant Chemistry Module Applied in Diverse Undergraduate Course Settings

Busta

Russo

2020

J. Chem. Educ.

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To meet the complex global challenges that workers in STEM fields face, it is critical that today’s students develop integrative technical skills and cognitive competencies. As a highly interdisciplinary field, medicinal plant chemistry provides an exceptionally rich environment for such training. Here, we describe a hands-on medicinal plant chemistry laboratory module (Phytochemical Laboratory Activities for iNtegrative Thinking and Enhanced Competencies; PLANTEC) for undergraduates that targets the development of core competencies in (i) logical thinking and analysis of text and data, (ii) interdisciplinary and systems thinking, (iii) oral and written communication of science, and (iv) teamwork and collaboration. Each student determines the natural product profile of a plant species using thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Students work in pairs and small groups to analyze their data and interpret their findings in chemical, biochemical, and biological contexts. PLANTEC is scalable and so can be offered in laboratory or lecture courses, and even partially or entirely online. We implemented this module in an undergraduate biology lecture course over six 50 min lessons in the fall semesters of both 2018 and 2019. We also experimented with modifications of PLANTEC to tailor learning objectives and thereby emphasize different disciplines during data interpretation (e.g., plant chemistry, ecology, evolution). Students consistently responded that PLANTEC increased not only their confidence in analyzing, interpreting, discussing, and writing about new kinds of data and complex ideas but also their interest in medicinal plant chemistry. Interdisciplinary laboratory modules of this type will be particularly useful in developing an innovative and versatile STEM workforce of the future.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Interdisciplinary and Systems Thinking with an Integrative Plant Chemistry Module Applied in Diverse Undergraduate Course Settings

Busta

Russo

2020

J. Chem. Educ.

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“…All of these very direct connections between plants and the wellbeing and comfort of a wide variety of species, including humans, provide an ideal route through which to interest both high school students and undergraduates in the chemistry of the natural world, as documented by several authors in this Journal . − This route promotes chemistry across the student population, taking advantage of some prior knowledge and natural inquisitiveness, and can do much to raise awareness of both chemistry and botany in the wider population.…”

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confidence: 98%

Up the Garden Path: A Chemical Trail through the Cambridge University Botanic Garden

et al. 2012

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The living world is a rich source of chemicals with many medicines, dyes, flavorings, and foodstuffs having their origins in compounds produced by plants. We describe a chemical trail through the plant holdings of the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens. Visitors to the gardens are provided with a laminated trail guide with 22 stopping points marked on a map. For each of the 22 familiar plants, the principal chemical component(s) and their applications are identified. The virtual trail on the gardens Web site provides additional chemical information including links to the experimentally determined three-dimensional structures of the molecules from the Cambridge Structural Database. Visitors to the gardens with quick response (QR) code readers on their mobile phones will also be able to access this enhanced chemical information digitally. Our hope is that the trails (actual and virtual) will take advantage of students' inherent interest in the chemistry of the natural world and encourage them to learn more about the myriad of vital chemicals that are available in the plant kingdom.

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“…Plant pigments are privileged molecules for chemical education because they may have a crucial value for the student’s image of chemistry in the real world. , They are well known both for the beautiful colors of the vegetal world and for their human nutritive value . Apart from their essential roles in plant biochemistry, these molecules are also associated with increased health benefits and industrial applications. − The typical pigments of plant leaves are the green chlorophylls and yellow-orange carotenoids.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“Supermarket Column Chromatography of Leaf Pigments” Revisited: Simple and Ecofriendly Separation of Plant Carotenoids, Chlorophylls, and Flavonoids from Green and Red Leaves

Dias

Ferreira

2014

J. Chem. Educ.

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A simple and ecofriendly procedure was developed in order to prepare extracts from red and green leaves. This procedure enables the separation of yellow, green, and red band pigments and optimizes the previously reported baking soda “supermarket column”. The same extract also led to a novel and colorful potato starch column, which can efficiently separate β-carotene, xanthophylls, chlorophylls a and b, and flavonoids. Thus, two simple and attractive “supermarket columns” are presented that may be implemented either in university or high-school practical classes. The challenges associated with separation of these pigments, which have diverse physical and chemical properties, will improve the expected learning outcomes of these activities.

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Plants and Chemistry: A Teaching Course Based on the Chemistry of Substances of Plant Origin

Cited by 5 publications

References 14 publications

Enhancing Interdisciplinary and Systems Thinking with an Integrative Plant Chemistry Module Applied in Diverse Undergraduate Course Settings

Enhancing Interdisciplinary and Systems Thinking with an Integrative Plant Chemistry Module Applied in Diverse Undergraduate Course Settings

Up the Garden Path: A Chemical Trail through the Cambridge University Botanic Garden

“Supermarket Column Chromatography of Leaf Pigments” Revisited: Simple and Ecofriendly Separation of Plant Carotenoids, Chlorophylls, and Flavonoids from Green and Red Leaves

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