Graduate Faculty Directory
Ara DerMarderosian
Department of Biological Sciences
Education
- BS, MS (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy)
- PhD (Rhode Island)
Faculty Appointments
Professor of Pharmacognosy
Research Professor of Pharmacognosy
Research Interest
Isolation and identification of bioactive substances from natural products
Studies of the medical value of foods (nutraceuticals)
Genetic and chemical indentification of drug plants
Synopsis
My research interests include pharmacognosy, medicinal chemistry, and nutraceuticals. We focus on hallucinogenic botanicals: medicinal and poisonous plants and their phytochemistry and pharmacology; marine pharmaceuticals; drugs of abuse; and medical foods or “nutraceuticals.” Current projects in my group involve research on pomegranate, blueberries, erythroxylon species, barley, and antimicrobials in African herbs. Previous studies have been carried out on hallucinogenic morning glories, biosynthesis of indoles in the Convolvulaceae, and medically active compounds in several marine organisms. We have also conducted taxonomic and chemotaxonomic studies on Cannabis sativa, tissue culture of Lophophora williamsii (Peyote), antoxidants in several edible fruits, new compounds in the Egyptian lotus plant, etc. I have authored several texts and written chapters in others as well as serving as author and section
editor for Remington’s Pharmaceutical Sciences. I have just completed and coauthored a text for the American Dietetic Assn. on herb/drug interactions.
Publications & Presentations
- "Phytochenical Investigation of Nymphaea caerulea Savigny",, Yoshpa, M. and Der Marderosian, A. Ameircan Society of Pharmacognosy Int. Congress of Natural Products Research, Phoenix, AZ, 2004, July 31–August 2.
- "The Ethnobotany and Identification of the Chemical Constituents of Alaskan Devil’s Root (Oplopanax horridus)", Bloxton, J. and Der Marderosian, A., J. Econ. Botany, 2002, 56(3):285–289.
- "DNA Identification of Comerical Ginseng Samples, Mihalov, J., Der Marderosian, A., and Pierce, J., J. Agric. Food Chem., 2002, 48:3744–3752.
- "The Review of Natural Products",, 4th ed., Reference Text, Facts & Comparisions, St. Louis MO, 2005, pp 1–1343, Der Marderosian, A. and Beutler, J. co-editors.
- "High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Quantification of Salvinorin A from tissues of Salvia divinorum Epling and Jativa-M"., Gruber, J., Siebert, J., Der Marderosian, A., and Hock, R., Phytochemical Analysis, 1999, 10:22–25
Contact Information
Office:
Science and Technology Center
Room # 373
Box # 38
Phone: 215.596.8915
Email: a.dermar@usp.edu
