Natural products play a crucial role in drug discovery and development. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 40% of pharmaceutical formulations are based on natural products from different medicinal plants and 88% of all countries are estimated to use traditional medicine, such as herbal medicines and indigenous therapies as part of their health care provision. Thailand has abundant plant resources and the much of the population still depends on traditional medicines for their primary health care needs. Croton plant species, from Thailand and other countries, have been used in a variety of medicinal applications and the pharmacognosy of many of these species has yet to be determined.
Natural products are growing important as an ingredient in medicines, dietary supplements, and cosmetics, so it is important to study their potential. I became interested in natural products while taking a bachelor's degree, therefore I decided to continue my study in this field and become a research officer in the Expert Centre of Innovative Herbal Products (InnoHerb), Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR). I study the extracts from plants, especially Thai herbals, and control their quality for use as ingredients in dietary supplements and cosmetics. Furthermore, I am also experienced in the study of biological activities.