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Chapter 2 Methods of obtaining drugs from medicinal and aromatic plants

  • İrem Yıldız Özbaş ORCID logo , Severina Pacifico and Emre Özbaş
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Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
This chapter is in the book Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

Abstract

Many of the therapeutic agents we use today are plant-based, highlighting the importance of medicinal and aromatic plants in drug discovery and the development of new drugs. The complex nature of plants and the challenges in effectively and efficiently separating and purifying plant-based compounds have historically directed scientists toward synthetic sources for drug development. However, recent advancements in technology and modern trends in drug discovery that integrate natural product development processes indicate that plants will continue to play a significant role in this field in the future. Overcoming the challenges encountered at every stage of drug development from plants requires an integrated interdisciplinary approach that leverages both traditional methods and technological advancements. A fast and efficient selection of source plants utilizing ethnopharmacological approaches, high-throughput screening (HTS), and virtual screening methods, coupled with well-designed and bioactivity-guided extraction and isolation methods, advanced structural characterization techniques, and the transfer of bioactive compounds in preclinical and clinical studies, are essential steps for successful plant-based drug development. New analytical technologies, combinatorial chemistry, computational and screening methods including artificial intelligence, molecular modeling, omics technologies for studying interactions between bioactive molecules and their targets, and the design of biological models represent modern approaches that have demonstrated significant success in obtaining drugs from medicinal and aromatic plants. These methods also hold substantial potential for future research. This section provides an overview of the stages involved in obtaining drugs from medicinal and aromatic plants and the methods used at each stage. It discusses traditional and modern methodologies in drug development, covering source plant selection, bioactive compound extraction, isolation, characterization, biological assays, clinical trials, new analog development, and optimization processes. Finally, the chapter evaluates future expectations for plant-based drug development in light of emerging trends.

Abstract

Many of the therapeutic agents we use today are plant-based, highlighting the importance of medicinal and aromatic plants in drug discovery and the development of new drugs. The complex nature of plants and the challenges in effectively and efficiently separating and purifying plant-based compounds have historically directed scientists toward synthetic sources for drug development. However, recent advancements in technology and modern trends in drug discovery that integrate natural product development processes indicate that plants will continue to play a significant role in this field in the future. Overcoming the challenges encountered at every stage of drug development from plants requires an integrated interdisciplinary approach that leverages both traditional methods and technological advancements. A fast and efficient selection of source plants utilizing ethnopharmacological approaches, high-throughput screening (HTS), and virtual screening methods, coupled with well-designed and bioactivity-guided extraction and isolation methods, advanced structural characterization techniques, and the transfer of bioactive compounds in preclinical and clinical studies, are essential steps for successful plant-based drug development. New analytical technologies, combinatorial chemistry, computational and screening methods including artificial intelligence, molecular modeling, omics technologies for studying interactions between bioactive molecules and their targets, and the design of biological models represent modern approaches that have demonstrated significant success in obtaining drugs from medicinal and aromatic plants. These methods also hold substantial potential for future research. This section provides an overview of the stages involved in obtaining drugs from medicinal and aromatic plants and the methods used at each stage. It discusses traditional and modern methodologies in drug development, covering source plant selection, bioactive compound extraction, isolation, characterization, biological assays, clinical trials, new analog development, and optimization processes. Finally, the chapter evaluates future expectations for plant-based drug development in light of emerging trends.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Part I: Introduction
  4. Chapter 1 The importance of medicinal and aromatic plants for living things 1
  5. Chapter 2 Methods of obtaining drugs from medicinal and aromatic plants 41
  6. Chapter 3 Challenges encountered in growing medicinal and aromatic plants 119
  7. Chapter 4 Medicinal and aromatic plants that are toxic 155
  8. Part II: Effect of stress factors on medicinal and aromatic plants
  9. Chapter 5 Impact of drought stress on the medicinal and aromatic plants’ biochemistry 197
  10. Chapter 6 Impact of salinity stress on medicinal and aromatic plant biotechnology 229
  11. Chapter 7 Impact of heavy metal on the medicinal and aromatic plants’ biochemistry 265
  12. Chapter 8 Metabolic and hormonal responses of medicinal and aromatic plants to abiotic stress 299
  13. Part III: Pharmaceutical use of medicinal plants
  14. Chapter 9 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in burn treatment 327
  15. Chapter 10 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in respiratory diseases 363
  16. Chapter 11 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antioxidant properties 385
  17. Chapter 12 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antibacterial properties 417
  18. Part IV: Uses of medicinal and aromatic plants in other areas
  19. Chapter 13 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in cosmetics 457
  20. Chapter 14 Edible medicinal and aromatic plants 491
  21. Chapter 15 The mysteries of Moroccan nature: aromatic plants and their therapeutic medicinal properties 513
  22. Chapter 16 The use of medicinal and aromatic plants in aromatherapy 547
  23. Chapter 17 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antioxidant properties 581
  24. Chapter 18 Medicinal and aromatic plants with anti-parasitic properties 611
  25. Chapter 19 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in personal care products 651
  26. Chapter 20 Genotoxic effects of medicinal and aromatic plants 681
  27. Chapter 21 Applicability of start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism markers in determining genetic diversity in medicinal and aromatic plants 707
  28. Index 743
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111469713-002

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Part I: Introduction
  4. Chapter 1 The importance of medicinal and aromatic plants for living things 1
  5. Chapter 2 Methods of obtaining drugs from medicinal and aromatic plants 41
  6. Chapter 3 Challenges encountered in growing medicinal and aromatic plants 119
  7. Chapter 4 Medicinal and aromatic plants that are toxic 155
  8. Part II: Effect of stress factors on medicinal and aromatic plants
  9. Chapter 5 Impact of drought stress on the medicinal and aromatic plants’ biochemistry 197
  10. Chapter 6 Impact of salinity stress on medicinal and aromatic plant biotechnology 229
  11. Chapter 7 Impact of heavy metal on the medicinal and aromatic plants’ biochemistry 265
  12. Chapter 8 Metabolic and hormonal responses of medicinal and aromatic plants to abiotic stress 299
  13. Part III: Pharmaceutical use of medicinal plants
  14. Chapter 9 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in burn treatment 327
  15. Chapter 10 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in respiratory diseases 363
  16. Chapter 11 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antioxidant properties 385
  17. Chapter 12 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antibacterial properties 417
  18. Part IV: Uses of medicinal and aromatic plants in other areas
  19. Chapter 13 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in cosmetics 457
  20. Chapter 14 Edible medicinal and aromatic plants 491
  21. Chapter 15 The mysteries of Moroccan nature: aromatic plants and their therapeutic medicinal properties 513
  22. Chapter 16 The use of medicinal and aromatic plants in aromatherapy 547
  23. Chapter 17 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antioxidant properties 581
  24. Chapter 18 Medicinal and aromatic plants with anti-parasitic properties 611
  25. Chapter 19 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in personal care products 651
  26. Chapter 20 Genotoxic effects of medicinal and aromatic plants 681
  27. Chapter 21 Applicability of start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism markers in determining genetic diversity in medicinal and aromatic plants 707
  28. Index 743
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