Specialised Metabolites of Australia’s Customary Medicinal Flora

By: Edward Owen Norman, Melissa Serrurier, Sylvia Urban

Outlines a phytochemical breakdown of Australian customary medicinal flora.

This book presents a summation of over a century of natural product research in Australia, concerning plants that have been used customarily by First Scientists. It begins with a look into the history of ethnomedicine across the globe, focusing on the pharmacopeias of the West, the East and Australia. An analysis of the botanical origin, biosynthesis and function of bioactive metabolites gives further background into these potent phytochemicals. This summary concludes with a broad review of the current methodologies involved in modern natural product chemistry, and pharmaceutical drug discovery and development, before considering the future of the field. + Full description

The body of the text is dedicated to a systematic presentation of the specialised metabolites that are present in the plant kingdom, with a continual engagement with those sourced from Australian customary medicinal flora. This section is broken into four chapters based on the structural differences present in these molecules: phenolic-type, terpenoid-type, alkaloid-type and a catch-all miscellaneous-type. Each of these chapters presents a tabulated breakdown of the presence of any of the 133 natural product infraclasses across 266 native plant genera reported in the literature, all of which is available on the associated website (www.cmfoa.info). A conclusion offers grounded speculation on where the field is heading.

- Short description

News

Sales in Australia and New Zealand only.

Details

Hardback | May 2025 | $240.00
ISBN: 9781486318582 | 264 pages | 270 x 210 mm
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Illustrations

Features

Outlines a phytochemical breakdown of Australian customary medicinal flora.
A review of the major natural product classes, subclasses and infraclasses.
Gives an overview of the history, methodology and future of the field.
Complemented by an interactive website (www.cmfoa.info) with a generative AI 'Medicinal Flora assistant' to facilitate easy reference to the chemistry, botany and customary use outlined in the text

Preface
Acknowledgements
About the authors
Cultural sensitivity warning

1: Introduction
2: Phenolic-type specialised metabolites
3: Terpenoid-type specialised metabolites
4: Alkaloid-type specialised metabolites
5: Miscellaneous-type specialised metabolites
6: Conclusion

Glossary
Bibliography
Index

Authors

Edward Owen Norman is an applied scientist in the intersectional fields of natural product chemistry, ML/AI (biostatistics, metabolomics, chemometrics) and ethnomedicine. He received his doctorate from RMIT University and is now affiliated with UNSW.

Melissa Serrurier is a specialist in Indigenous curriculum and education, drawing on her Indigenous heritage (Guugu Yimidhirr) and education to further the advancement of Indigenous education methodologies through her work in higher education. She is currently conducting a PhD in Education (Indigenous Pedagogies) and is the STEM College Indigenous curriculum specialist at RMIT University.

Sylvia Urban FRACI, SFHEA is one of Australia’s leading natural product chemists, heading the Marine and Terrestrial Natural Product (MATNAP) research group. She is also the program manager of the Bachelor of Science degree and the Reconciliation and Responsible Practice Facilitation, School of Science (STEM College) at RMIT University.