Date of Award

2013

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Department

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

First Advisor

Navindra P. Seeram

Abstract

The United States is the world’s largest producer of blueberries and the world’s second largest producer of maple syrup. Maine is the nation’s leading producer of wild blueberries, harvesting 82.6 million pounds of wild blueberries. Similarly, the New England region represents roughly 75% of the total U.S. production of maple syrup. These plants play a vital role in New England’s economy and are commonly consumed; however, these plants benefit more than the economy. The secondary metabolites of these plants are both antioxidants, and also anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-viral agents. Blueberries are commonly consumed and have been investigated exhaustively. On the other hand, the roots and stems of the blueberry bush have not been investigated for their phytochemicals. Similarly, our laboratory has investigated two of the most common species tapped for their sap of the maple (Acer) genus. Another species of the maple family that produces sap is the Norway maple tree (Acer platanoides). Investigating the phytochemicals from these plants can revolutionize many industries.

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