Natural Products as a Foundation for Drug Discovery

Curr Protoc Pharmacol. 2009 Sep 1:46:9.11.1-9.11.21. doi: 10.1002/0471141755.ph0911s46.

Abstract

Natural products have contributed to the development of many drugs for diverse indications. While most U.S. pharmaceutical companies have reduced or eliminated their in-house natural product groups, new paradigms and new enterprises have evolved to carry on a role for natural products in the pharmaceutical industry. Many of the reasons for the decline in popularity of natural products are being addressed by the development of new techniques for screening and production. This overview aims to inform pharmacologists of current strategies and techniques that make natural products a viable strategic choice for inclusion in drug discovery programs.