2001/03/01 by Daniel S. Fabricant, N.R. Farnsworth · 2 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics · Medicine · #Synthesis and bioactivity of alkaloids #Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies #Phytochemistry and Bioactivity Studies #Ethnomedicine #Drug discovery #Drug #Traditional medicine #Drug development #Medicine #Computer science #Data science #Medicinal plants #Biology #Pharmacology #Bioinformatics
paper · doi:10.1289/ehp.01109s169
openalex publication_date 2001/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
In this review we describe and discuss several approaches to selecting higher plants as candidates for drug development with the greatest possibility of success. We emphasize the role of information derived from various systems of traditional medicine (ethnomedicine) and its utility for drug discovery purposes. We have identified 122 compounds of defined structure, obtained from only 94 species of plants, that are used globally as drugs and demonstrate that 80% of these have had an ethnomedical use identical or related to the current use of the active elements of the plant. We identify and discuss advantages and disadvantages of using plants as starting points for drug development, specifically those used in traditional medicine.