The therapeutic power of nature and the value of natural products have been recognized since ancient times and remain valuable even today.
However, the effects of climate change, environmental pollution, and the overexploitation of wild medicinal plants can lead to the degradation of biodiversity and of the organisms that biosynthesize and “host” bioactive compounds.
The chemical diversity of natural products and their beneficial effects span the full spectrum of biological activities, offering invaluable tools to medical science. It is worth noting that out of an estimated 250,000 plant species, only 10–15% have been systematically studied regarding their chemical composition and biological properties. Terrestrial biodiversity and marine organisms—which have only recently begun to be studied in depth—have yielded molecules capable of combating even the most dangerous diseases through nutrition, thereby offering us a better quality of life, strengthening our health, and improving overall dietary outcomes. After all, proper nutrition can play a crucial role in the prevention of serious and chronic diseases and contribute to overall well-being.
The Life Sciences represent a field from which the much-needed growth of the Greek economy is expected to emerge. Health Sciences constitute one of the most dynamic sectors within the Greek innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The pandemic marked a return to Mother Earth and, once again, underscored the necessity of protecting biodiversity, which is under immediate threat—primarily due to human activity (environmental pollution, overpopulation, land drainage, agriculture, livestock farming, deforestation, etc.). The preservation of the planet’s natural wealth and our ecosystems is a duty toward society and future generations.
It is imperative to capitalize on Greek biodiversity through the cultivation of medicinal plants and the use of both these plants and their derived extracts in new pharmaceutical formulations and dietary supplements aimed at improving human health.
The Greek ecosystem is particularly rich, encompassing 40% of the plant species found in the European periphery, with over 5,800 recorded plant species. This natural wealth, owed to Greece’s unique environment and diversity of habitats with distinctive climatic conditions, includes many endemic plants that are rich in bioactive and biologically active compounds. These can be utilized to enrich functional foods and dietary supplements, ultimately contributing to improved nutrition and enhanced human health.
The aim is to deepen the study of these plant-derived extracts and to isolate and characterize their natural constituents using innovative extraction techniques and biological evaluation methods. The desired outcome is their incorporation as active ingredients in new pharmaceutical products.
Responding to the severe health crisis that followed the economic one—as well as the ongoing energy and climate crises—requires vigilance and swift, decisive action. Most importantly, it demands urgent national self-sufficiency in production, adequate research funding for the creation of novel biomolecules, collaboration among research teams, and strong connections between production, academia, and the scientific community.
Konstantinos Kouskoukis
Professor of Dermatology – Lawyer
B’ Vice President GDHI
President Hellenic Academy of Thermal Medicine
President World Academy of Chinese & Complimentary Medicine