Phytochemistry evaluation of Psittacanthus cordatus (Hoffmanns.) G.Don in different hosts

• Grant number: 24/18203-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmacognosy
• Principal Investigator: Daniel Pecoraro Demarque
• Grantee: Bruna Doimi Ortolan
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Parasitic plants are defined as plants that have an specific organ, the haustorium, used to connect into other plants to obtain water, mineral salts and sometimes even chlorophyll. Often known as pests, they are responsible for causing problems in crops around the world and invading ecosystems, undermining their balance. The Loranthaceae Family is among the largest families of parasitic plants and understanding the relationship between the parasitic species and the host plant can be a key to their control. The present project aims to analyze the parasitic species Psittacanthus chordatus (Hoffmanns.) G.Don phytochemistry in different hosts through metabolomic analyzes and multivariate statistical methods. At the end of the project, the aim is to contribute the understanding of the interconnection between organisms, such as the accumulation and transfer of metabolites between parasites and hosts, as well as to advance knowledge of the phytochemistry of these few-studied species.