Vanderlan da S. Bolzani, vice-coordenator of CIBFar, discusses biodiversity, bioprospecting and bioeconomy in session Trend & Debate of “Ciência e Cultura” magazine.
The chemistry of natural products had always a relevant role in the development of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fragrances, and other bioproducts, because of the structural diversity and functional groups present in thousands of substances that make up the earth’s biodiversity. This immense highly sophisticated chemical laboratory also plays an important role in the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, especially since these are essential substances to the biological processes of cell regulation, chemical communication and defense. In this regard, the Brazilian biodiversity, included among the largest on the planet is still little explored, and bioproducts of great impact, capable of generating wealth and contributing to the national economic balance are still at the level of desires.
Developed countries, although not large holders of terrestrial biodiversity, never had doubts about the molecular wealth which is hidden in nature, example of this is the amount of drugs in the world market, inspired by natural products such as anti-tumor, or drugs for the treatment of heart diseases or central nervous system (CNS) or diabetes, anti-inflammatory, antiviral , etc. The cosmetics and fragrances industry markets a significant amount of products based on innovations from natural substances, recent example is a semi-synthetic derivative produced from jasmonic acid, extract of jasmin oil and used in anti-aging cream and many other products essential to the improvement of the quality of human life. This has contributed to the economy of countries possessing the innovations arising from the biodiversity that, in many cases, is geographically situated beyond their borders.
Brazil, the holder of one of the greatest natural wealth of the planet, cannot boast of a vigorous bio-economy and based on innovations from its rich biodiversity – a sophisticated natural plant of several classes of substances and unusual chemical structures that would, if well exploited, a huge potential for radical and incremental innovations to the sectors of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fragrances, agrochemicals and food supplements.
In the last 15 years, on both sides the academic and corporate, many discussions were raised, converging to the same consensus: the delay in innovations from natural and derived products from our rich biodiversity was due in part to bureaucratic obstacles caused by the issue in 2000, the Medida Provisória (MP) 2050, reissued as MP-2186 – 16/2001 by the federal government concerning to access to genetic resources, traditional knowledge, protection and sharing of benefits. At that time, the MP was the government’s response to the appeal of significant sectors of society against the complaints raised at the time, due to the contract signed between a multinational and the Amazon Research Center, inappropriate judged on equity of the parties, to the detriment of Brazilian side!
As a researcher, working in the field of chemistry of natural products for 40 years, I experienced the problems that caused MP to researchers working in the chemistry of natural products, pharmacy, pharmacology and related fields during that time. I’ve always been an advocate for a law which was able to protect our natural resources – a legacy that, besides being a source of pride for the country must be defended. However, a law that hindered research on our biological and chemical diversity, delaying the generation of knowledge about our biomes and organisms, led me to actively participate in various discussions in Brasilia and write various texts, especially when the Biota program of mapping the São Paulo biodiversity, was launched by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) in 1998. On this occasion together with colleagues of the three public universities of São Paulo (UNESP, USP and Unicamp), the Botany Institute (IBt) and the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) started the thematic project Bioprospecting of plants of Cerrado and Mata Atlantica of São Paulo.
On the limitations of bioprospecting research, or barriers arising from the MP after the sanction of Law nº 13123, on May 20, 2015, by President Dilma Rousseff, did not see me able to issue comments that even with still controversial points, benefits scientists and especially industrial sectors that exploit products from biodiversity. But, in face of historical facts and the current situation, it is possible to see that the Lei de Acesso à Biodiversidade (law of access to biodiversity) is not the biggest obstacle for the industry to develop innovation with biodiversity assets. It is necessary that the numerous discussions and academic and business seminars on bio-economy can encourage academic, government and business sectors to establish an agenda for industrial innovation based on natural and derived products from our biodiversity.
The first bioproducts discoveries of Brazilian biodiversity date back to 1533, when the Portuguese arrived here. The new conquerors, in search of plant species for economic exploitation, discovered the Caesalpinia echinata, pau-Brazil, a valuable source of red dye (brasilina, brasilidina), the first example of natural products of value but that did not bring any economic impact to the country, leaving us only inherit the Brazil name for the newly discovered land. Numerous other examples would give some written pages, but highlight the Chondro-dendron tomentosa, Menispermaceae. One of the known species of the Amazon curares. The tubocurarine, one of the alkaloids isolated from this species used by the Indians, inspired the development of a class of anesthetic adjuncts: the synthetic derivative Atracurium (Tracurium ®) is another example that shows that the country failed economic currency. In the 1960s, research conducted by Professor Sergio Ferreira about poisons from snake Bothrops jararaca, resulted in bradykinin peptide, an inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme. The Captopril, a worldwide medicine, was designed by a sophisticated study of medicinal chemistry from bradykinin.
Returning to today, especially after the sanction of the Lei de Acesso ao Patrimônio Genético (law of access to genetic heritage) by President Dilma, I have participated in several seminars, where the discussion revolves around the bio-economy and thus the economic potential that our rich biodiversity can yield to country and the enthusiasm shown by researchers and managers on innovation based on Brazilian biodiversity. Having devoted myself to research on natural products, I have no doubt about the scientific value of this area to promote technological innovation and economic and social wealth. However, manufacturing bioproducts from molecules extracted from the biodiversity is, as any innovation, a complex and risky process. In the explosion of biodiversity, as well commented on various subjects the journalist Marcelo Coelho, there is an arduous task of research and prospecting aimed at enabling products. Nature is a source of inspiration, but how to reproduce on a commercial scale, highly complex molecules? How to tame native plants little investigated, such as those of the tropical and equatorial environments? They are important issues, and although the Brazilian industrial sector will be modernized, incorporating research into their portfolios, these studies are still very shy and the industry is not inclined to risk. With this, we have recorded in the last 30 years, yet few innovations derived from the rich Brazilian biodiversity, even with scientific progress achieved by the country – in chemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry and molecular biology – and all the efforts of the business side. Our biodiversity remains an exciting challenge for those who believe in the bio-economy as a driving force of the domestic industry.
Vanderlan da S. Bolzani, professor at the Institute of Chemistry of State University of São Paulo (Unesp), vice-presidente of SBPC and member of Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC).
Source: Ciência e Cultura -vol.68 num.1 São Paulo jan/mar 2016