Productos Naturales Investigación y Perspectivas en Ecuador

Ecuador is a privileged country because of its richness in living organisms intimately related to its high biodiversity. In the last 20 years, public and private universities, as well as research institutes, have invested in the training of their teachers-researchers as well as in state-of-the-art technology related to this topic. This text reflects the advances in scientific production that have been generated in the country. Three chapters are exhaustive reviews of the traditional use and potential of medicinal plants in health problems and specific applications. One chapter analyzes medicinal plants and their metabolites in a specific biogeographic area of Ecuador. A review focuses on the essential oil of a native species of high bio-economic potential such as Psidium guajava. Two experimental studies confirm the phytochemical richness and medicinal potential of species of our biodiversity such as Persea americana and Chuquiraga jussiuei. And finally, a chapter analyzes the importance of control in processed natural products based on their microbiological quality and the relationship with good manufacturing practices. This text confirms that Ecuador has much to show to the world of science.