The laboratory of Pharmacognosy, directed by Michel Frédérich, develops activities in the field of natural products used in health and medicines. The laboratory is divided in two main activity area, namely identification and purification of bioactive natural products, and quality control of phytomedicines.

• The first area of activity is focused on the purification, by preparative chromatographic techniques, of vegetal secondary metabolites, and their structural identification by NMR and MS spectrometry. The biological activities explored include antimalarial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, some of these activities in collaboration with other laboratories of the institution.
• The second area of expertise includes the development and validation of specific analytical methods for the quality control of medicinal plants, for pharmaceutical industries or for the European Pharmacopoeia. The laboratory proposes also services such as preparative chromatography, metabolites structural determination and quality control of phytomedicines and herbal dietary supplements.