The evolving role of natural products in drug discovery

Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2005 Mar;4(3):206-20. doi: 10.1038/nrd1657.

Abstract

Natural products and their derivatives have historically been invaluable as a source of therapeutic agents. However, in the past decade, research into natural products in the pharmaceutical industry has declined, owing to issues such as the lack of compatibility of traditional natural-product extract libraries with high-throughput screening. However, as discussed in this review, recent technological advances that help to address these issues, coupled with unrealized expectations from current lead-generation strategies, have led to a renewed interest in natural products in drug discovery.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biological Products / chemical synthesis
  • Biological Products / chemistry*
  • Biological Products / pharmacology
  • Drug Design*
  • Humans
  • Patents as Topic
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Technology, Pharmaceutical / trends*

Substances

  • Biological Products