Origins of Drugs and Chemical Synthesis

Natural Products Chemistry: Emerging Trends and Prospective Goals

• Natural products chemistry plays a vital role in advancing physical and biological sciences, providing novel applications and a broader perspective for future research.
• Emerging trends in the field include advancements in methodology, techniques, and potential applications in biomedicine, health, nutrition, and related areas.
• The declining interest in natural products chemistry due to lack of prioritization, availability of tools, and financial resources has been revived.
• Modern research into natural product chemistry is crucial for understanding biotic and abiotic processes in the environment.

Scope and Outreach

• Renewed interest in natural products chemistry due to its impact on scientific knowledge, technical progress, and economic activities.
• The field's importance in bioengineering, medicinal domains, and technological advancements is highlighted.
• Natural products continue to play a significant part in drug discovery (~50% of modern drugs).

Synthetic and Semi-synthetic Drugs

• Synthetic products revolutionized drug discovery in the 1980s, with more than one-third of current drugs derived from natural resources.
• The adverse effects and regulatory requirements of synthetic drugs have spurred interest in naturally derived compounds.
• Semi-synthetic analogs of natural products have been developed by modifying structural features to enhance biological activities.

Separation Sciences and Structure Elucidation

• Advanced separation and detection techniques enhanced natural products research, enabling isolation and identification of minor-yield products.
• Chromatographic techniques (e.g., Flash®, UHPLC, MPLC) are crucial in characterizing natural products.
• Computational models allow for predicting chromatographic sequences aiding in compound identification.

Genomics, Combichem & HTS

• Genomics research contributes to natural product identification and understanding their roles in various biological processes.
• High-Throughput Screening (HTS) methods involving purified natural products and natural product libraries are utilized in template selection.
• Libraries of natural products facilitate the discovery of novel bioactive compounds and potential drug candidates.

Biomechanics and Bioactivity

• Chemical biology approaches aid in understanding the mechanisms of action of natural products, contributing to the development of complex disease therapies.
• Natural products exhibit diverse bioactivities (e.g., anti-cancer, anti-microbial).
• The ability to decipher biomechanics of natural products facilitates optimization of clinical potentials and formulations.

Ecology, Environment & Chemical Perspective

• Environmental alterations in habitats and resources, authenticity, purity, contaminations, and toxicity, and the scope of phytopharmaceuticals and other derived products are significant concerns.
• Natural approaches exist for resource protection, cultivation, and biodiversity maintenance to enhance sustainable systems from a chemical perspective.

Microbial, Marine, and Photochemistry

• Microbial chemistry, particularly from marine sources, remains a rich source of bioactive compounds.
• Photochemical reactions in natural products also provide insights into biogenesis and drug discovery potential.

Bioactive and Designer Foods, Plant Microbe Relations, etc.

• The discovery and production of natural food supplements and formulations for enhanced nutritional values is in increasing demand.
• Consideration of the impacts of plant-microbe relations on biosynthesis and biological activities is crucial for future research in the field.