Ioanna Chinou

Ioanna Chinou is a Professor of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where she serves as Head of the Lab of Pharmacognosy within the Faculty of Pharmacy. With over 280 publications and more than 70,000 reads on ResearchGate, she is a leading expert in natural product research with significant contributions to the understanding of Greek medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds.

Professor Chinou's research focuses on the phytochemical analysis of Mediterranean plants, particularly those from the Boraginaceae family, with emphasis on bioactive compounds like naphthoquinones, phenolic derivatives, and essential oils. Her work spans natural product chemistry, pharmacognosy, and analytical techniques including UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS, molecular networking, and qNMR spectroscopy. She has extensively studied Greek endemic species such as Alkanna, Cistus, and Heliotropium, examining their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and other biological activities.

Analysis of Professor Chinou's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on sustainable extraction methods, metabolomic profiling of medicinal plants, and the development of natural products for pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical applications. Her research often focuses on Greek endemic species and traditional medicinal plants, with particular attention to their chemical composition, bioactivity, and potential therapeutic applications. Current trends in her work include hydroponic cultivation of medicinal plants, analysis of traditional Greek beverages, and the investigation of propolis and other bee products.

As Head of the Lab of Pharmacognosy, Professor Chinou leads a research team that investigates the chemical and biological properties of Mediterranean flora, with special focus on Greek endemic species. Her laboratory employs advanced analytical techniques to characterize plant metabolites and evaluate their potential applications in medicine, food science, and cosmetics.