Résumé
If plants are known for centuries as a valuable source of molecules, complexity remains and can open up numerous perspectives. Plants have indeed evolved a wide range of secondary metabolites as defense, competition or attraction compounds [1]. More particularly, the exceptional biodiversity encountered in the tropics, along with the presence of various pathogens and a strong herbivory especially linked to a rich entomofauna, leads to a promising chemodiversity, due to the constant and dynamic interactions between plants and their environment. Taking into account the role and “raison d'être”[2] of natural products, and the fact that all these molecules work together as complex mixtures can therefore lead to a new point of view, by shifting from the “magic bullet” classical approach to a “herbal shotgun” strategy[3]. We will illustrate the fact that, inspired by their ecological functions, and taking into account synergistic interactions, some therapeutic applications can be found for these versatile mixtures of compounds. In particular we examined whether the antidermatophytic activity of essential oils (EOs) obtained from particularly fragrant plant species from French Guiana could be used as an indicator for the discovery of active natural products against Leishmania amazonensis. A significant correlation was observed between antidermatophytic and antileishmanial activity, confirming the “alternative use” strategy in the case of EOs, and allowed us to highlight P. hispidum Sw. (Piperaceae) EO as a promising antileishmanial product [4]. We also illustrated the importance of synergistic effects through the example of the antifungal EO of Otacanthus azureus (Linden) Ronse (Plantaginaceae) [5] and the biomimetic design of optimized synergistic mixtures thanks to a full factorial experiment approach.