Book and Media Review pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Review of Nature’s Chemicals: The Natural Products That Shaped Our World Robert E. Buntrock* Buntrock Associates, Orono, Maine 04473, United States Products?” provides some definitions. The old separation of inorganic and organic chemicals evolved in the case of the latter into physiologic biochemicals (i.e., Natural Products) and synthetic chemicals. The author names Natural Products (henceforth termed NPs; note capitalization) as chemicals of biologic origin whereas natural products (note lowercase) as products of nature, often a mixture, that may contain NPs (e.g., coffee is a natural product that contains an NP: caffeine). Of course, this leads to a discussion of what the general public deems as “natural”, “chemical”, and so on. Chapter 2, “Impact of NPs in Human Affairs” describes the effect of acquisition and exploitation of NPs on history, exploration, colonialization, and generation of wealth. Specific commodities, beginning with spices, are discussed, and the obsession with habituation, from coffee, tea, and cocoa through quinine, tobacco, and opium, is discussed in depth. Chapter 3, “The Main Classes of NPs” discusses the relatively few biochemical pathways leading to NPs. In addition, the classes of NPs, terpenoids−isoprenoids and polyketides− polyphenols, are discussed with several chemical examples. Chapter 4, “Are NPs Different from Synthetic Chemicals?”, attempts to answer the title question. Generation of truly comparative sets is difficult, but if the criteria involve properties and reactivity, the answer is no. The author states that the main difference in preparation is that anthropogenic processes involve reagents (which are consumed in the reaction) and bioprocesses use enzymes. However, he seems to ignore the fact that some synthetic chemicals are made with catalysts (which are regenerable and not consumed) and that some are made with enzymes as catalysts. At the end of Chapter 4, the author discusses controversial issues, including scientific publishing in general and “open” publishing in particular. Ownership of information is also discussed, especially for research results from governmentally funded academic research. A number of theories are discussed in Chapter 5, “Why Do Organisms Make NPs?”. In the opinion of this reviewer, it may be that no clear winner emerges from among the theories (several reasons may coexist); however, the chemical coevolution model seems to be prevalent. In this chapter, Firn also observes the detrimental fragmentation of research fields, including the promotion of this process by the increasing spread of specialty journals, which favorably affects the profitability of publishers. Public skepticism about “chemicals” is the prime topic of Chapter 6, “NPs, Chemicals, and the Environment”. A key quote is “the world has never been a chemically clean place”. In addition, the evolution and adaptation of organisms toward chemicals is discussed, as well as the degradation of all chemicals, especially by microbes.
Nature’s Chemicals: The Natural Products That Shaped Our World, by Richard Firn. Oxford University Press: Oxford, U.K., 2011. pp. ISBN: 978-0199603022 (paper). $44.95.
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s an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota 50 years ago, I had the advantages of an intensive course of study for chemistry majors, even more exacting than the accreditation requirements of the American Chemical Society. One benefit was the wide variety of elective courses, including one on natural products, taught by the award-winning and award namesake, Edward Leete. There was no suitable text at the time, so the course was taught from his well-developed and organized notes. I still have them and what I learned in the course stood me in good stead for my all-too-brief laboratory career, which involved synthesis of bioactives in my undergraduate research as well as both in and after graduate school.
Cover image provided by Oxford University Press and reproduced with permission.
Both the course I took and subsequent textbooks on this topic have been organized more along the lines of biogenetic mechanisms and description of classes and specific natural products. This text (paperback published posthumously), however, is not just a collection of facts; instead, it is organized along the lines of the impact of natural products on human culture and history. Mechanisms, classes, and specific compounds are described within the cultural and greater scientific realms and not just by chemical classification. The author raises questions for discussion that are often controversial. Each chapter ends with a section entitled, “What does this chapter tell us about the way that science works” and in some cases, a section on conclusions. References and notes for each chapter appear at the end of the book, followed by an index. A pervading theme throughout the book is the question of “natural” versus synthetic chemicals. Chapter 1, “What Are Natural © 2012 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
Published: February 9, 2012 580
dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed300064u | J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 580−581
Journal of Chemical Education
Book and Media Review
The involvement of NPs with the pharmaceutical industry is the topic of Chapter 7. Antibiotics, synthetic steroids, and anticancer drugs are discussed. Bioprospecting and the future of NPs in the pharmaceutical industry are also described. Chapter 8, “Chemical Interactions between Organisms” identifies the influence on habitats by NPs and the influence of evolution on defenses against new threats. The evolution of metabolism is discussed in Chapter 9. Nonexploitation of evolution was responsible for the split in research and researchers between NPs and biochemistry. Three principal properties of chemicals that can benefit cells are discussed. Chapter 10, “The Genetic Modification of NP Pathways Possible Opportunities and Possible Pitfalls” describes the emerging field of “metabolomics”. Among the tens and hundreds of thousands of chemicals known, only a small proportion is bioactive. Generic protective mechanisms exist for humans for thousands of NPs and there is, therefore, a low probability of harm. However, the likelihood that the public will accept this low probability is in itself of low probability. Publicity and publishing, advocacy, and politics of interacting with the public are discussed in closing. This is an excellent book that I recommend as a text or resource for courses on natural products (if any exist) or as a supplemental text for more advanced special topics courses. Given the emphasis on the relation of NPs to history, politics, economics, and other topics of nontechnical interest, this book would also be an excellent text or resource for courses in the liberal arts.
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dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed300064u | J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 580−581
