Howes, Melanie-Jayne R.
Job TitlePharmacist
DepartmentJodrell
SectionSustainable Uses
Science Teams:
Joined Kew: 2001
Foreign Language(s): French.
Qualifications & Appointments
BPharm (Hons), King's College London, 1996
PhD, Pharmacy, King's College London, 2001
Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (MRPharmS), 1997
Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC), 2007
Visiting lecturer, Department of Pharmacy, King's College London, 2003-
Role
Development, evaluation and application of appropriate analytical techniques for the purpose of authentication and quality assessment of plant material, and the detection of known pharmacologically active compounds. Responding to external enquiries and project targets with the collation and evaluation of information, regarding pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, toxicology, medicinal plants and their pharmacological activities and regulatory status. Dissemination of information via scientific publications on the subjects of phytochemistry and pharmacology, with a particular focus on bioactivity of naturally-derived compounds and authentication. Teaching techniques in phytochemistry and pharmacognosy at Kew and at other institutes (MPharm degree). Research interest in structure-activity relationships, with emphasis on naturally-derived acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, and collaboration with other institutes on related research projects.
Projects
- Africulture Centre
(project completed 2010) - Authentication and Chemical Fingerprinting of Economically Important Species
- Diversity of Biologically Active Plants and Plant-Derived Compound
- Chemosystematics and biological activity of Lamiaceae
- Importance of Legumes and Legume-Derived Compounds in Medicine and Agriculture
- Medicinal Uses of British Plants
- Salvia (Lamiaceae)
Selected Recent Publications
Howes, M.-J.R. & Perry, E. (2011). The role of phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of dementia. Drugs & Aging 28: 439-468.
Burns, A., Perry, E., Holmes, C., Francis, P., Morris, J., Howes, M.-J.R., Chazot, P., Lees, G. & Ballard, C. (2011). A double-blind placebo-controlled randomised trial of Melissa officinalis oil and donepezil for the treatment of agitation in Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders 31: 158-164.
Williams, P., Sorribas, A. & Howes, M.-J.R. (2011). Natural products as a source of Alzheimer’s drug leads. Natural Product Reports 28: 48-77.
Howes, M.-J.R., Kite, G.C. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2009). Distinguishing Chinese star anise from Japanese star anise using thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 57: 5783-5789.
Houghton, P.J., Ren, Y. & Howes M.-J.R. (2006). Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from plants and fungi. Natural Product Reports 23: 181-199.
Selected Earlier Publications
Houghton, P.J. & Howes, M.-J.R. (2005). Natural products and derivatives affecting neurotransmission relevant to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Neurosignals 14: 6-22.
Kite, G.C., Howes, M.-J.R. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2004). Metabolomic analysis of saponins in crude extracts of Quillaja saponaria by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for product authentication. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 18: 2859-2870.
Ren, Y., Houghton, P.J., Hider, R.C. & Howes, M.-J.R. (2004). Novel diterpenoid acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from Salvia miltiorhiza. Planta Medica 70: 201-204.
Howes, M.-J.R., Simmonds, M.S.J. & Kite, G.C. (2004). Evaluation of the quality of sandalwood essential oils by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatogratography A 1028: 307-312.
Howes, M.-J.R. & Houghton, P.J. (2003). Plants used in Chinese and Indian traditional medicine for improvement of memory and cognitive function. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 75: 513-527.
