1 Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
Research Article
GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2025, 30(03), 053-063.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gscbps.2025.30.3.0075
Received on 14 January 2025; revised on 24 February 2025; accepted on 27 February 2025
Natural products have been an important source of inspiration for the discovery of new drugs, with many successful drugs derived from natural sources. This review aims at providing an overview of the current state of natural products in drug discovery, highlighting their sources, classes, importance and therapeutic potentials. The findings of this review underscore the significant contribution of natural products in drug discovery with an ongoing stream of new compounds being discovered and developed into effective medicines. Furthermore, this review emphasizes the importance of natural products derived from a wide range of sources, including plants, animals, microorganisms and marine organisms. The review concludes with a focus on plants in drug discovery, tracing the historical significance of medicinal plants and highlighting the various bioactive metabolites obtained from plants with potential therapeutic applications.
Natural Products; Drug Discovery; Medicinal Plants; Bioactive Metabolites
Preview Article PDF
Juliet Chiamaka Muoegbunam, Valerie Ezinne Nwankwo, Amarachukwu Ukamaka Onwuzuligbo, Blessing Ogechukwu Umeokoli, Chika Christiana Abba, Festus Basden C. Okoye and Kenneth Gerald Ngwoke. A review of nature’s pharmacy: Unveiling the sources, classes and therapeutic potentials of natural products in drug discovery. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2025, 30(3), 053-063. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2025.30.3.0075