New Tools for Protein Research Located in the TZW ... - TZW Witterswil

TZW Technologiezentrum Witterswil AG, CH-4108 Witterswil, Switzerland
Phytopharmaceuticals and dietary supplements enjoy great popularity
on the consumer side all over, however, the quality of these
products not always is above reproach. VitaPlant’s mandate is to
bring sound scientific methods to the field and thus ensure and
improve the quality of such products. At the same time, VitaPlant’s
contract research aims at the development of new, innovative plant
extracts for its customers around the world.
Since outstanding quality in the final product inevitably requires
outstanding quality of the employed plant material, VitaPlant’s
scientists also cover the fields of plant breeding and cultivation.
Founded in 1998, VitaPlant today presents an entirely independent,
state-of-the-art service centre for a research driven, rational
development of plant extracts. As a one-stop-provider, VitaPlant
has all personell and facilities required for such centre in-house,
i.e., extensive laboratory infrastructure, green houses, growth
chambers and experimental fields, are located next to each other
in the Technology Center in Witterswil, Switzerland.
VitaPlants competences include activities in the fields of:
• Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Phytopharmaceutical Technology
• Phytochemical Analysis
• Medicinal Plant Breeding (incl. Variety Development)
• Molecular Marker Techniques
• In Vitro and In Vivo Propagation of Elite Plants
VitaPlant’s approach
VitaPlant AG
Phytopharmaceuticals and Dietary
Supplements: VitaPlant Brings
Sound Scientific Methods to the Field
and thus Ensures and/or Improves
the Quality of such Products
VitaPlant – since 1996 in the TZW, the Life
Sciences Technology Centre in Witterswil
Dr. Bernd Bueter, Dr. Matthias Kreuter, VitaPlant AG, Witterswil
Pharmacological assays present the key element in VitaPlant’s extract
developments. These assays enable our specialists to screen
plant extracts and evaluate extraction technologies, plant production
and processing procedures as well as plant species and accessions
within species. They ultimately allow us to optimize
technologies and plant materials resulting in extracts of superior
pharmacological quality and minimized toxicological risks. For
our plant improvement activities, a European patent has been
granted to VitaPlant (EP 1244345).
Pharmacology and Toxicology
In order to assess pharmacological activities in complex multicomponent
plant products both, experience and a broad range of
in vitro test systems are required.
SWISS BIOTECH 24 (2006) Nr. 1 15