Value addition to African natural product-based drug discovery initiatives

Abstract

Natural products are vital to drug discovery, yet Africa’s vast biodiversity remains underutilized. This perspective examines barriers limiting Africa’s impact─such as weak infrastructure, limited translational capacity, and minimal integration of medicinal chemistry. We advocate for advancing beyond basic extraction to include systematic isolation, pharmacokinetics studies, and semisynthetic derivatization. Emphasis is placed on integrating AI, cheminformatics, and biotransformation, alongside embedding drug discovery training into academic curricula. Strengthening regional networks, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and securing Africa-sensitive funding are essential. Strategic implementation of these actions will enable Africa to harness its natural resources for global drug discovery and address local health challenges.