Plants for human health: greening biotechnology and synthetic biology

摘要

The concept of growing plants for human health and general well-being, rather than for consumption as food alone, is changing people's perception of plant biotechnology and synthetic biology. Resurrecting the long-forgotten connection between plants and health has launched a new generation of botanical therapeutics, which include dietary supplements, functional foods, pharmaceuticals and multi-component drug mixtures. Technological and methodological advances have made the discovery, validation and manufacture of high-value phytochemicals a reality, and botanical therapeutics have come of age.