The field of drug discovery is continually advancing with the emergence of new technologies and scientific developments. Moreover, there is a recent growing interest in exploiting natural products as a potential source of novel drug leads. This chapter provides an overview of the current state of new drug discovery, with a specific focus on natural products and integrative medicine. The drug discovery process is discussed, including target identification, lead generation, lead optimization, and preclinical and clinical development, along with the challenges associated with each step and potential solutions. The use of natural products as a source of novel drug leads is explored, including examples of natural products that have been transformed into drugs and current efforts to discover new natural product-based drugs. Furthermore, the chapter proposes valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in this field, as well as potential solutions for discovering and developing new drug leads.
TopIntroduction
The search for new drugs is a continuous and essential aspect of modern medicine. Despite significant advances in drug development over the past decades, the number of diseases and conditions that lack effective treatments continues to rise. This is particularly conspicuous in instances of multifactorial and intricate medical conditions, including but not limited to cancer, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative pathologies (Maitra et al., 2022), as well as emerging diseases such as COVID-19 (Asiamah et al., 2023). New drug discovery is a complex and time-consuming process that involves identifying and developing novel compounds that can effectively treat diseases and conditions. This process necessitates a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating natural sciences, computational methods, and innovative technologies. As a result, drug discovery remains an essential area of research in the pharmaceutical field, as the constant changes in healthcare needs require the development of new and better drugs. The ultimate goal of drug discovery is to improve human health by providing effective and safe treatments for various diseases and medical conditions.
One promising approach to drug discovery is to explore natural products as a source of potential drug leads. Natural products are chemical compounds that are synthesized by living organisms, including plants, animals, and microorganisms. These compounds have a broad range of biological activities and have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat various ailments. Recently, there has been a growing interest in natural products as a source of drug leads, as they offer a diverse array of chemical structures and have the potential to target a wide range of biological pathways (Bai et al., 2021). In addition, cutting-edge computational methods like molecular modeling and simulation have significantly accelerated the drug development process (Asiamah et al., 2023). Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as promising approaches to expedite new drug discovery in recent years (Yoo et al., 2023). These methods can assist in identifying new targets for drug development, predicting the activity of compounds, and optimizing drug design (Lin et al., 2022).
This chapter aims to provide an overview of new drug discovery, with a focus on natural products and integrative medicine. The author will delve into the different stages of drug discovery, from target identification and screening to lead optimization and clinical development. In addition, the author will discuss the challenges and opportunities in natural product-based drug discovery and the role of integrative medicine in developing new treatments. This chapter aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to new drug discovery and inspire further research in this exciting and rapidly evolving field.