The course provides an introduction to the biogenesis of key plant secondary metabolites; terpenoids, steroids, alkaloids (especially indole alkaloids), flavonoids, essential oils, polyketides, polyisoprenoids and shikimic acid metabolites, the mechanism underlying their formation, methods of extraction, isolation, purification, and structure determination. A survey of the pharmacological activities associated with the various metabolite classes; flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenoids; plant growth and defence substances will be covered.