Scientists Create Genetically Modified Plants to Produce Pharmaceutical DrugsMike Barrett Up until just a few years ago, scientists had to manually splice natural plant compounds to patent them for pharmaceutical drug companies; now, a way has been discovered to genetically modify plants which are actually programmed to produce pharmaceutical drugs instead of their natural compounds. Of course not everyone is excited for genetically modified plants. The researchers, from MIT and led by Associate Professor Sarah OConnor, added bacterial genes to a plant known as the periwinkle plant, altering the plants natural alkaloid production system. Scientists would be enabling it to attach halogens such as chlorine or bromine to a class of compounds called alkaloids that the plant normally produces. In essence, the genetically modified plants, in stead of producing natural alkaloids, will actually produce variant pharmaceutical drug versions of the alkaloids. Were trying to use plant biosynthetic mechanisms to easily make a whole range of different iterations of natural products. If you tweak the structure of natural products, very often you get different or improved biological and pharmacological activity, she said. But the process used by OConnor is a bit different than what scientists have done in the past. Using a process called metabolic engineering, scientists like OConnor alter the actual molecular output of plants, which helps to mold the compounds being produced. Ultimately, this can lead to a large variety of end products. The idea of genetically modified plants is disturbing alone, but why tamper with nature already producing natural, beneficial compounds? In the periwinkle plant specifically, the scientists targeted an alkaloid called vinblastine, which is effective at treating cancers such as Hodgkins lymphoma. So why create genetically modified plants and other organisms? Some scientists may think they are benefiting society, but no one can ignore the genetic and patented creation gifted to Big Pharma, and the stealing from nature. Additional Sources: Explore More: This article first appeared at Natural Society, an excellent resource for health news and vaccine information. 