Natural product
Natural product
A Natural product is a chemical compound or substance produced by a living organism—that is, found in nature. In the broadest sense, natural products include any substance produced by life. Natural products can also be prepared by chemical synthesis (both semi-synthesis and total synthesis) and have played a central role in the development of the field of organic chemistry by providing challenging synthetic targets.
History[edit | edit source]
The term "natural product" has been used since the 19th century, although the first systematic study dates back to the Ancient times. The study of natural products involves the scientific investigation of biological entities, including plants, animals and microbes, as well as the pharmaceutical and pharmacological properties of their chemical constituents.
Classification[edit | edit source]
Natural products may be classified according to their biological function, biosynthetic pathway, or source. The broad classifications include Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, and Nucleic acids.
Role in drug discovery[edit | edit source]
Natural products have been the source of most of the active ingredients of medicines. For example, aspirin is derived from the bark of the willow tree. Many of the drugs used to treat cancer, high blood pressure, and asthma, as well as those that act as analgesics or anti-inflammatory agents, are also derived from natural products.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
Natural product Resources | |
---|---|
|
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD