Abstract:
Introduction. The scientific community is constantly looking for new sources of natural chemical
compounds in order to elaborate effective remedies for early diagnosis and treatment of incurable diseases
inherited from the previous century. Today, genetically modified plants (GMP) serve as a new source of
chemical compounds used for this purpose.
Aim of study. Evaluation of the specialised bibliography and highlighting of GMP as biopharmaceutical
sources.
Methods and materials. The profile literature and database (about 60 sources from PubMed, Google
Scholar platforms) on GMP were evaluated and analysed.
Results. The evaluation of the modern researches denote that GMPs are used as biofactory for the new
biopharmaceuticals (enzymes, recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibody, peptides, antisense
oligonucleotides, hormones recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies and immunomodulating drugs).
The list of GMP species and bioproducts obtained from them have been elucidated: Helianthus annuus –
somatotropin hormone which is used in nanism and rapid muscle growth; Solanum tuberosum – lactoferrinmultifunctional protein with antimicrobial activity; S. lycopersicon – α-antitrypsin human protein used in
liver cirrhosis, glycoprotein for Rabies virus, vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus; Zea mays – gastric
lipase enzyme in chronic pancreatitis (the used target is endocrinology, immunology and virology that
become a reality for producing harmless drugs, oral vaccines and tumour antigens). Species Nicotiana
tabaccum has been established as a model transgenic system for molecular farming and is mostly used in
pharmaceutical protein research with therapeutic and prophylactic applications in genetic disorders, cancer,
HIV, hyperparathyroidism and neuronal affections. Recombinant proteins obtained by the transgenic route
have an applicative character in: chronic inflammatory conditions (Protein C); blood substitute
(Haemoglobin-α and -β); thrombosis (humanised Hirudin), antitrypsin in the case of surgical
transplantation. The main focus is generation of edible cheap vaccines and easily administered ones that
could provide mucosal immunity against infectious agents causing deaths of millions of children.
Conclusion. This rapid increase in the number of new biological compounds reflects fast progress in
molecular biology and genetic engineering, highlighted by the success of the human genome project that,
in turn, will help to identify a lot of additional opportunities for represent new opportunities in the early
and accurate diagnosis as well as in effective and successful treatment of difficult diseases.
