Comprehensive Natural Products II

Comprehensive Natural Products II

Chemistry and Biology
Volume 3, 2010, Pages 351-381
Comprehensive Natural Products II

3.12 - Ethnopharmacology and Drug Discovery

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Drug discovery and development (very often unknowingly) is based on traditional and local knowledge about a species’ medical use or toxicological effects (both desired and undesired effects). The list of compounds ultimately derived from such knowledge is very long indeed and includes morphine, codeine, and aspirin to name just a few but also drugs licensed relatively recently like galanthamine and artemisinine. Here I review this link and – using examples of new drugs currently under development preclinically or in clinical trials – discuss how such new drugs have been ‘discovered’, or more precisely developed into a clinically used medication.

Field-based ethnopharmacological studies are the most essential basis for such drug development efforts. Such studies have a multitude of theoretical and applied goals and in fact only very few are in any way directly linked with projects in the area of drug discovery. One of the core tasks of ethnopharmacologists is to ascertain that such traditional knowledge is safe-guarded and remains an integral and appreciated part of a culture and that – if commercial products are developed from such knowledge – both the material and immaterial benefits are distributed equitably.

Preclinical (i.e., pharmacological and phytochemical) research has been conducted on numerous plants using a multitude of pharmacological targets. Such knowledge is not only an element of drug development, but also contributes to our understanding of the effects of such local and traditional medicines.

Some recent examples of clinical developments of drug leads into new medicines highlight the potential of such knowledge-based drug development programs. Many new drug leads are ‘poster children’ of ethnopharmacology-driven drug development programs. Lastly, some extracts that are complex mixtures of active and inactive constituents have been developed and are used now clinically.

Ethnopharmacology and drug development can be understood only if a truly multidisciplinary approach is taken, and this is one of the most exciting and promising challenges of the field – it requires a dialogue not only between disciplines but also between cultures.

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Professor Dr. Michael Heinrich is the head of the Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, The School of Pharmacy, University of London. He is a pharmacognosist, biologist (Dr. rer nat. habil, University Freiburg 1989, 1997, Dipl. Biol., 1985), and anthropologist (M. A., Wayne State University, 1982), with many years of research experience in many aspects of medicinal and food plants (esp. bioactive natural products), as well as at the interface of cultural and natural sciences with a particular interest in the cultural basis of medicinal plant use in Lowland Mexico and other countries. Current research interests include medicinal and food plants of the Mediterranean basin, Mexico and adjacent countries, anti-inflammatory natural products focusing on transcription factors as molecular targets, quality and standardization of herbal medical products used in Europe, cognitive aspects of medicinal plant usage, and the history of European plant-derived medicines. He has authored approximately 160 peer-reviewed full publications on the above topics. He is Reviews Editor of Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Associate Editor of the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, and Section Editor of Phytochemistry Letters.

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