Investigaciones e Informes en Ciencias Médicas

Natural Products as Lead Bases for Drug Discovery and Development

Abstract

Ekwere Mercy R and David Udo E

Medicinal plants from time immemorial have been used not only for food but also for their inherent natural products exhibiting medicinal properties. Natural products from medicinal plants are endowed with tremendous secondary metabolites (phytochemicals) including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and Saponins. They form the basis for both traditional and modern systems of medicine. These natural products from medicinal plant serve as major pointers in drug development as these bio-resources can be isolated and used as potential lead compounds in the drug discovery process as new medicine or as prototypes for the development of new drugs.