Natural Products and Medicinal Plants Research

Natural Product Research to Medicine

Natural products, including plants, animals and minerals have been the basis of treatment of human diseases. Nevertheless, ancient wisdom has been the basis of modern medicine and will remain as one important source of future medicine and therapeutics. History of medicine dates back practically to the existence of human civilization. Historically, the majority of new drugs have been generated from natural products (secondary metabolites) and from compounds derived from natural products.

Pharmacognosy provides the tools to identify select and process natural products destined for medicinal use. Usually, the natural product compound has some form of biological activity and that compound is known as the active principle-such a structure can act as a lead compound. Many of today’s medicines are obtained directly from a natural source.