Since time immemorial, biobased or natural products have been the backbone of traditional system of healing throughout the globe and have also been an integral part of history and culture. With scientific advancement in modern molecular and cellular biology, analytical chemistry and pharmacology, the unique properties of these biobased products are being harnessed in order to exploit the chemical and structural diversity and biodiversity of these types of products in relation to their therapeutic effect. Particularly, they have long been explored as invaluable sources of inspiration for drug design, with particular effectiveness in cancerous and infectious diseases.
Generally, according to the source from which they are generated, pharmaceutical chemicals are considered as biobased (or natural), synthetic, or semi-synthetic. The natural environment remains a significant origin of novel therapeutic agent compounds. Biobased pharmaceutical chemicals are prepared from compounds found occurring in nature, containing active components in extract form obtained from sources, including plants, microbes and animals [1].
Due to the chemical and structural diversity and the biodiversity of the components, the most dominant source of biobased pharmaceutical chemicals is plants. The plant-derived compounds have a long history of clinical use with better patient tolerance and acceptance. To date, 35,000-70,000 plant species have been screened for their medicinal use [2]. Examples of pharmacologically active substances derived from plants include morphine from opium poppy, nicotine from the tobacco plant, cannabinoids from cannabis leaves, caffeine from tea and coffee, cardiac glycosides (digoxin and digitoxin) from woolly foxglove, quinine from the cinchona tree, and salicylates from the bark of the white willow tree. More pharmaceutical chemicals derived from natural biomass are listed in table 1 [3].
Table 1. NP (Natural Products)-derived drugs and their lead compound, classification and therapeutic area
| Generic name | Lead compound | Classification | Disease area |
|---|---|---|---|
| dronabinol /cannabidol | dronabinol /cannabidol | NPs | pain |
| fumagillin | fumagillin | NP | antiparasitic |
| ziconotide | ziconotide | NP | pain |
| exenatide | exenatide | NP | diabetes |
| trabectedin | trabectedin | NP | oncology |
| galantamine | galantamine | NP | Alzheimer's disease |
| ertapenem | thienamycin | NP-derived | antibacterial |
| amrubicin hydrochloride | doxorubicin | NP-derived | oncology |
| biapenem | thienamycin | NP-derived | antibacterial |
| nitisinone | leptospermone | NP-derived | antityrosinaemia |
Biobased pharmaceutical chemicals have been vital in drug discovery. Plants, microorganisms, fungi and bacteria have been invaluable in drug design and continue to be a rich source of natural products in the drug discovery process.
For better development, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies should adapt to the immediate need for new medicines and adopt new techniques in order to overcome clinical conditions that cannot be treated using conventional therapies. Hence, looking into the structure-activity relationships of naturally occurring active ingredients may offer a strategy to overcome such medicinal challenges. Besides, to move forward with any potential lead compounds, large scale extraction or biotechnology production is required in order to move the lead compounds forward and make them clinically feasible.
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References
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