Research interests

Laboratory Natural Product Chemistry has been a part of the Institute of Organic Chemistry since its opening in 1968. The lab was founded by the prominent Bulgarian chemists, Prof. I. Ognyanov, Prof. N. Mollov, Prof. N. Marekov. In 1977, it became a subdivision of the Centre of Phytochemistry, established within a joint project of the Bulgarian Government, UNDP and UNESCO. At present, the Lab is an active participant in the Southeast European Network on Phytochemistry and Chemistry of Natural Products for Green and Sustainable Growth” (SEE PhytoChemNet), created with the support of UNESCO.

Significant part of our research is dedicated to Bulgarian medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP), which are particularly diverse and numerous in our countr, and searching for possibilities to create innovative products based on MAP. Our interests are directed mainly to the families Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Scrofulariaceae, Fabaceae, Ranunculaceae, Papaveraceae, Solanaceae, Liliaceae, Zygophylaceae, Rosaceae, Apiaceae. Our research is focused on alkaloids, flavonoids and other phenolics, triterpenic saponins, sesquiterpene lactones, essential oils and other biologically active compounds. An important part of our effort is the work on standardization of Bulgarian medicinal plants and extracts thereof. Our aim is to develop modern reliable methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis of the active components for quality control. Also, we are on search for new biologically active compounds from unexplored biological subjects, such as Bulgarian endemic plants, mushrooms, propolis, etc. We are interested mainly in antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant substances. In both directions we work in close collaboration with biologists and pharmacologists. We also collaborate with colleagues from different countries: Germany, Greece, Macedonia, Mongolia, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Switzerland etc.

Our major projects at present are on endemic Bulgarian medicinal plant species, search for natural products active against bee pathogens, synthesis of biologically active chalcones.

LABORATORY MEMBERS

Head:

Prof. Dr. Milena Popova

02 9606 149

510

popova@orgchm.bas.bg

Name	Room	Phone	Е-mail*
Prof. Milena Popova, PhD, Head	510	149	popova
Prof. Vassya Bankova, DSc, corr. member of BAS	510	149	bankova
Prof. Antoaneta Trendafilova, PhD	518	144	trendaf
Assoc. Prof. Boryana Trusheva, PhD	510	149	bobi_tru
Assoc. Prof. Kalina Alipieva, PhD	507	137	alipieva
Assoc. Prof. Kalina Danova, PhD	518	141	k_danova
Assoc. Prof. Stefan Philipov, PhD	503	194	philipov
Assist. Prof. Angel Konakchiev, PhD	519	148	angel
Assist. Prof Nadezhda Kostova, PhD	519	148	kostova
Assist. Prof. Tsvetelina Doncheva, PhD	503	194	tsvety
Assist. Ralitsa Chimshirova	510	149
Hristo Petkov, chemist	510	149	hvp
Radostina Toshkovska, chemist	503	194	rtoshkovska
Tzvetinka Gurova, chemist	507	137	tgrozdanova
Victoria Ivanova, chemist	518	144	vgenova
Nia Ilieva, technician	510	149

Projects

Selected group publications(Q1)

2018

Phytochemistry,
155,
1-11

The phytochemistry of the honeybee

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials,
263, 28-33

Nanostructured silver silica materials as potential propolis carriers

Food and Chemical Toxicology, 111,
605-615

New iridoids from Verbascum nobile and their effect on lectin-induced T cell activation and proliferation