Abstract:
This review surveys the diversity of natural products (NPs) derived from terrestrial
plants, micro-organisms, marine organisms and fungi used in the treatment of various
diseases. A wide spectrum of compounds derived from these sources has been found to
have many applications in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, and general biology. The
enormous structural diversity of NPs and their medicinal significance has led
researchers to predict that screening natural resources will generate new ‘lead’
compounds. It is well established that structural analogs with greater pharmacological
activity and fewer side effects can be generated by molecular modification of the
functional groups of such lead compounds. The compounds derived from various NP
sources have been a basis for the development of clinically important agents active
against various diseases, including taxol, vinblastine, vincristine, and topotecan, which
are important anticancer agents in widespread clinical use. A number of other
promising agents such as flavopiridol, combretastatin, betulinic acid, and silvesterol are
in clinical or preclinical development. A large number of anti-infective agents in
clinical use are also derived from NPs.
