Mother Nature is the best chemist with enormous authenticity and expertise in producing diverse chemicals in a highly selective manner. The natural diversity has allowed mankind in successful discovery of a huge number of bioprivileged molecules. Historically and traditionally, natural products have been widely used for the treatment of diseases throughout all cultures. Till now, about 25% commercial drugs are directly obtained from nature and about 61% commercial drugs are either natural or semi-synthetic natural products. Molecules derived from natural resources can also be used as promising leads in drug discovery research. Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is an epiphytic plant belonging to the family Bromeliaceae. The moss grows on the surface of other plants making the moss independent of the need for soil to live. In the United States, Spanish moss is dispersed along coastal grasslands ranging from Texas to Virginia. Up to early twentieth century Spanish moss was being used for home decoration, insulation, mattress stuffing, packing material, and in the padding of car seats. With time these uses have become obsolete and consequently every year tons of Spanish moss are remained unattended that might cause serious pollution as well. A phytochemical investigation of the non-polar extract of Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) has been carried out to identify new source of natural compounds. A cold extraction with diethyl ether was accomplished. Comprehensive chromatographic separation and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) studies of the non-polar extract have been accomplished. Findings that are related to less polar fraction are summarized. Identification of industrially and pharmacologically privileged compounds from abandoned but abundant botanical may open a new frontier for meaningful utilization of this neglected natural resource as well in conservation of nature.

Trash-to-treasure transformation: Industrially and medicinally privileged compounds from Spanish moss, a neglected botanical

2019 Fall National Meeting

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