I have always been interested in olfaction and traditional medicines. During my MSc at Kyoto University, I studied about the inhalational effects of the aromatic compounds found in agarwood (a fragrant resin used as incense, as a sedative agent, and in perfumery). In my PhD, I am extending my interest to investigate the aromatic compounds of the Amazonian flora and, specifically, to assess to what degree aromas influence Indigenous People in their selection and utilization of wild plants. My goal is to empirically link Indigenous People’s smell perception to plant chemistry. With the help of the Matapí Indigenous researchers, we will therefore explore the rainforest through the sense of smell, capturing a portrait of the Amazonian Smellscapes—which presents a novel perspective in the current scientific canon.

Individual and combined inhalational sedative effects in mice of low molecular weight aromatic compounds found in agarwood aroma.
KP Castro & M Ito. Molecules 26(5): 1320 (2021) LINK

Formulation of directly compressible tablets from Psidium guajava, Mangifera indica, and Moringa oleifera using the quality-by-design (QbD) approach.
EAC Ladignon, BS Balotro & KP Castro. Journal of Asian Association of Schools of Pharmacy 9: 19-31 (2020) LINK